You Lose You Win
by MissSteffy
Summary: Freddie lost his dad to a drunk driver. Sam lost her dad to a gangster. Watch what happens when an unexpected twist of fate brings these two total opposites together. Read their story and struggles as along the way they fall in love.
1. Chapter 1: Luis Benson

**Hey everyone. I'll be updating iDavid VERY soon so don't worry. This story idea has been stuck in my head for weeks now and I felt the need to type the first chapter as soon as possible. I realized not so long ago that drama is more of my genre. I love writing about people struggling and coming out on top in the end. iDavid is a drama but it also has some humor and cheesy fluffliness (LOL).**

**This story is a little different. In this one, Sam and Freddie don't know each other. I don't know what you call those stories. The ones that don't really follow the actual storyline of iCarly. It's still a good story and I really hope you like this one.**

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Just like every typical cliche movie, there is a nerd that everyone picks on. The nerd whose best friend is a computer. The nub who has no fashion sense and can't even get a girl to give him the time of day in school. The one who gets dumped, head first, into a trash can. The one who gets shoved into a locker for hours at a time, gets wedgies on a daily basis, and get called dozens of insulting nicknames.

I am Freddie Benson and I am the nerd of Ridgeway High. I am the leader of the AV club which is like social suicide at my school. Even the mathletes are cooler than me. I've lost count on how many times I've been locked in a locker or how many wedgies each football player has given me. I always have my laptop with me. No one else gives me a chance to get to know me so I'm always on the computer playing some game.

I've always wondered what it would be like to be ridiculously good looking, have dozens of girls drool all over you, and not have to suffer the physical and emotional pain more than half of the school puts me through. That is something I will always wonder but never get to live. I'm fine being me. Despite all the embarrassment I go through in school, I am a happy nerd.

I live in an apartment building named the Bushwell Plaza. I live on the 8th floor with my mom and my dad. They are the best parents anyone could ever ask for. My mom is a nurse so every time I get hurt, she always comes to my rescue. She is a little protective, but it's nothing unbearable. My dad is the best though. He is a professional fencer. He used to fence when he was little at the Tingly Brothers Circus and he taught me how to fence when I was little as well. He owns The Fencin' Benson Studios here in Seattle (A/N I totally made that up just fyi). No one at school bothers to figure out that I train here cause all people ever think of me is a nerd. But yes, every weekend I train here with my dad. It's a great way to stay in shape, even if I'm not buff like the football team. I have amazing parents and I wouldn't trade that for the world.

I also have a great neighbor. Her name is Carly Shay. She is the only girl that goes to my school and actually talks to me. When I moved into this apartment three years ago, she welcomed me into Bushwell with a plate of homemade cookies and open arms. She is so nice to everyone and she is one of the most popular girls in school. I wish generous people like her were more popular. She is sweet, beautiful, and smart. I couldn't help but to start liking her right there and then. Even as a boy, girls would look at me and yell "ewww." She was the only one who actually talks to me and sees past my nerdy-ness, if that is even a word. I've told her how much I care for her and how much I would love for her to be with me but she says that we are "just buds" and I am completely fine with that. I am content with the fact that she is even in my life to begin with.

Yes, I may be a nerd BUT I am a happy nerd.

* * *

"Freddo" I heard my dad call me from the living room. I was in my room, designing Rideway's new website. My principal, Principal Franklin, wanted me to make it more "hip" so that more students can check it out. He said he'd give me a hundred bucks so I happily obliged.

I did a little tweaking here and there and I was out the door.

"What's up dad?" I saw my dad standing by the front door with a piece of paper in his hand.

"I got paid yesterday and the studio could use some new equipment. Want to go with me son?" said my dad as he waved a check in front of my face. A smile instantly grew on my face. I happily nodded and ran back to my room to grab my jacket.

We left our apartment and headed towards the elevator. Being on the 8th floor makes our elevator rides much slower. I'd much rather take the stairs. We finally reached the lobby and the annoying Doorman, Lewbert, was taking a nap on the job.

Lewbert is such a sad person. All he does is sit behind the front desk and yell at people. One day, I was feeling really depressed cause one of the football players 'accidentally' pushed me into a puddle. I had my laptop in my hands so it totally fried when I fell. That day, Lewbert yelled at me because I was being too 'mopey'. I think he is just miserable because he is old, he doesn't have a girlfriend, and he has a really big wart on his face. The kind that has hairs growing out of it. Every time I look at him, I shudder.

We were walking out of the lobby when Carly walked in. She greeted me with one of her heartwarming smiles and a simple wave.

"Hey Freddie. Mr. Benson." said Carly with her sweet voice. Everyday, I fall more and more in love with her.

"Hi Carly. Me and Freddie are going shopping for new fencing equipment. You wanna join us?" I smiled when my dad asked Carly to come.

"Oh I'm sorry, I can't. I'm helping Spencer with one of his sculptures. He is trying to sculpt the Backstreet Boys so he wants to look at all my magazines for good pictures of them." My smiled quickly faded. I was sad Carly couldn't join us but I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped from my lips.

Spencer is Carly's big brother and guardian. Her dad is in the navy so he is never around. I don't know about Carly's mom. She never told me about her. Anyways, Spencer is a very popular artist here in Seattle. He teaches art classes at the local community college and apparently he has a lot of female students which led me to predict that they wanted him to sculpt five grown up men who sing love songs for a living.

"Aw that's too bad. I guess we'll see you later then Carly." my dad responded.

She gave us another one of those amazing smiles before walking away.

My dad and I walked towards the store in complete silence. Carly is always on my mind. I've always wondered if she would date me if I wasn't such a nerd. If I wasn't such a dork. But I am who I am. I don't want to change myself to make her like me. I tried it once and she just laughed at my pathetic attempts to win her over. Maybe one day she will look past my nerdy ways and love me the way I love her...

"You really like her huh?" I snapped out of my thoughts. I looked at my dad who looked at me back with his eyebrows raised.

"Yeah. She is a really cool girl but girls like her don't like guys like me." I looked back down with a look that clearly spelled 'disappointed'.

"Don't give up son. There is a girl out there for you. Maybe it's not Carly but just remember this. Don't wait for it. The best things in life come when you least expect them." I smiled to myself. My dad always knew what to say.

We continued walking. We talked about everything from the horrible pizza the lunch lady at school serves to my hopes and dreams of someday being a movie producer. As we we were caught up in the conversation, we heard a horrible screech come from the other side of the street. We stopped immediately and looked around. We didn't see anything but the screeching continued. It sounded like a car. Then I heard sirens. We saw a white truck turn the corner uncontrollably and a police right right behind it.

I started to panic. Cars are NOT supposed to drive on the sidewalk. I saw the white truck come towards me and my dad. As much as I wanted to run, my body was frozen in panic. I couldn't move. I looked at my dad who looked just as panicked as I did. I looked at him with desperation, hoping that he would move as well but he was frozen as well. I covered my eyes as I saw the truck get closer and closer.

Before I knew it, I felt two hands push my roughly and I landed on the floor. My eyes were still closed as I heard a loud crash. The screeching was gone but the sirens remained active. I opened my eyes and I saw three police cars and one ambulance surrounding me.. I looked around and I couldn't find my dad anywhere. I started putting all the pieces together.

"Oh no." I whispered to myself.

"DAD!" I screamed as I saw his lifeless, bloody body being placed on a stretcher. I collapsed on the floor again and cried until I could no longer cry.

* * *

I was at the Seattle cemetery, dressed in all black, surrounded by my family. Carly and Spencer were here too.

It was my dad's funeral. The doctor said that he passed away before he even made it to the hospital. For weeks, I was depressed.

I lost the most important person in my life to a drunk driver, apparently.

I felt like a part of me died with him. Everything good in my life vanished the day my dad died. We had to close The Fencin' Bensons Studio because I didn't have the proper training to take over the business and my mom didn't have a clue as to how fencing worked.

Everyone took turns making speeches. My mom was up first.

"What can I say about Luis? He was my first love and my high school sweetheart. I met him at the circus when I was 15. My brothers loved watching the Fencin Bensons. I later found out he went to Ridgeway with me when I saw him at an assembly. We were inseparable. He was such a good person with a heart of gold. I can't believe he was taken from us in such an unfair way. Justice will be served..." she choked out the last part. I felt bad for my mom. My mom and my dad were the definition of true love. And now she was alone.

I was second.

"What can I say about my dad?" I tried to sound brave. "He was the best dad anyone could ever ask for. He's the one that taught me how to fence. He taught me that there are some good people out there beyond the bullying that goes on in my school. I- I- I'm sorry." I finished and ran back to my seat. I couldn't stand talking about what a good guy my father was.

Carly wanted to say something too.

"Um. I've never spoken at a cemetery before. All I know if that Mr. Benson was a good man. People like him are rare. He always greeted me with a smile and a positive attitude. He reminded me of my own dad and I felt like he was somehow my dad too. Whenever Spencer and I had problems, whether they were family issues or financial ones, he was always there to help us get back on our feet. I am forever grateful to him and I hope he looks down on us and protects anyone from being taken away from this Earth the way he was. Thank you" She walked away from the spot and sat next to me.

Spencer was next.

"Luis was a close friend of mine. I know what it's like to loose someone important. I lost two of pet goldfish once. Sure they were just goldfish but me, they were family." I couldn't help but chuckle a little bit. Spencer was always an odd person but he had a good heart. "Luis was one of a kind. Always helping those in need, even if they were strangers or homeless. I've never met such a generous man. He was the one that helped me get a job at the community college. Luis, if you are up there, know that we will forever remember you for all the good deeds you have done in this world. Thanks."

With that, it was time to bury him,

I stood next to Carly as I watched the coffin lower slowly and slowly. It was agonizing. All my relatives were throwing different colored roses at the coffin, along with never ending tears of sadness.

I threw one last rose before the workers began to fill the hole. It was a white one. I threw it and as soon as it hit the the coffin, I lowered my head on Carly's shoulder and I cried. I didn't hold her. I just leaned on her and cried. She wrapped her arms around me and patted my back, making shushing noises to try and calm me down. It was all I could do at the moment. Cry. Nothing could bring my father back. Nothing.

Moments later, as the workers continued to fill the hole with dirt, I walked away from Carly. I needed to be alone for a minute. I walked away from the crowd and I sat on the grass. I looked at the ground. Hundreds of people were under me. Hundreds of innocent souls that were probably killed the way my dad was. Unfair. I shut my eyes tightly trying not to cry. I wanted to stay strong for him.

He said that the best things come when you lest expect them. He said that to me the day he died. It was all a lie. My dad was killed unexpectedly. It was the worst feeling in the world.

I opened my eyes and I noticed a figure form far away. I saw a blond girl looking towards me, or the crowd behind me, I couldn't tell. She looked sad.

She then noticed me noticing her and she quickly walked away with her hands in her sweater pockets.

My thoughts went back to my dad and i continued to cry.

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**Okayyy so there ya have it. The first chapter of my brand new story. I am very excited for this story. It will be told in only Sam and Freddie's point of view.**

**Next chapter, you get to read Sam's story. Then the third chapter is when the story truly truly begins.**

**Let me know if you like this story so far. :D**


	2. Chapter 2: Matthew Puckett

**I decided to take a tiny little break from iDavid to write the second chapter of this story. No worries iDavid fans, I already typed up the first part of the last chapter and I'm almost done. I just wanted to update this story as well. Thank you to those who reviewed the first chapter and added it to their favorites and alerts. So far, this story is off to a great start.**

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My name is Samantha Puckett, but I will pound anyone that calls me that. I do not look like a Samantha and I do not act like one either. Samantha sounds like a girlie girl who likes to wear daffodils on her hair and skip around in the woods, singing a sappy, corny tune. I go by Sam. Simply Sam. Sam sounds normal. It sounds more like me. I am one tough cookie if I do say so myself.

I live in a pretty rough part of Seattle, Washington with my mom and my dad. My dad is a construction worker and my mom is a stay at home mom. My mother is a little on the crazy side. She babysits our neighbors' kids in the morning and then spends the rest of the day drinking some kind of alcoholic beverage. She is an alcoholic and we've tried to get her some help but she insists she can control it. There has been one occasion where she was so drunk, she yelled at me and my dad in the middle of the night, causing the whole block to hear us. She slapped me hard and ever since then, I stopped trusting her.

I also have a twin sister. Her name is Melanie. She was always the better one, the likable one, the smart one, the girlie one. Pretty much, she is everything I'm not. Her perfect grades got her a scholarship to one of the country's best boarding school. She studies in New York now. I really don't mind being away from her. I've always been under her shadow and now I can just be myself without people comparing us.

My dad is really something else. He is the only one in the family that I trust with my life. He is the only person who accepts me for who I am and doesn't judge what I do. I feel like I can be myself around him and he won't laugh or make fun of me. I don't have to put up some sort of wall when I'm with him.

I am a very tough person. No one at school talks to me in fear that I would hurt them. I don't blame them though. I've always been one to defend myself. When I was in kindergarten, one of the boys in my class made fun of my curly blond hair. He said that I looked like a blond clown, or some kind of wild animal. The whole class pointed and laughed at me. I was enraged. I grabbed him by the shirt and shoved him to the ground. Everyone in the class gasped and ran away from me. Ever since then, people just didn't bother to get to know me. They just assumed I am some bad girl.

In some ways, they are right. I am a bad person when I want to be but that's only to satisfy what people think about me. If they think I am just some rebel who will knock anyone out, then that's what they will get from me. I don't feel like I need to explain myself to total strangers. I am not desperate for friends. I am fine without them. I am also a brutally honest person. I say whatever is on my mind and people think I am just a bitch because of that. I guess my whole life, I just allowed people to define who I am that I just grew into it overtime. People think I am a tomboy, and I somewhat am one. No one has seen me in pink, skirts, flip flops, bikinis, or tank tops. I grew to despise these things. I'm good with a simple plaid long sleeve shirt, jeans, and sneakers.

It's hard to fully explain why I am the way I am. Sometimes I confused myself because I am not a completely bad person. People just assume I am a bully, a bitch, someone to NOT mess with. They never bother to actually get to know the good Sam. Sometimes it's hard to ignore the bad stuff people say about me. Some of the smart people in my school, have called me crazy and a bully. What do I do? I prove their theory right by shoving them into their lockers or giving them wedgies.

It's not because I enjoy it. I've spent my whole life being this tough person that if I ever show any sign of goodness in me, they would probably laugh or call me a hypocrite. That's one thing I don't like about myself. I have too much pride.

There have been times where I've attacked a nerd in school so they could give me their lunch money. It's not out of entertainment. Since my family doesn't make much money, I have to find someway to make money for myself. What better way than to just harass nerds in school? It just gives them more reason to call me a bully.

One thing that no one knows about me except for my family is that I play and sing. My dad is a musician but nothing professional though. It's always been a hobby of his and he passed it on to me. He taught me to play guitar when I was eight. I fell in love with the guitar the moment I held one in my hands. Music is such a big part of my life but since people only see me as a bully and nothing more, I don't share this part of my life with anyone.

Most of the songs I have written are love songs. Let's face it, no matter how tough I am, I am a girl with needs. I've had my fair share of drama when it comes to the opposite sex. My most recent situation was with this guy named Doug Totter. He was in my English class last year. I was a junior and he was senior. You could call him a bad boy. He always stood up for himself and I guess that's what attracted me to him. He was somehow like me and I liked that we could relate.

We had a good relationship but after a while, his friends asked if to go to this studio to fence. He grew to love fencing so much that we started to drift apart. He became someone else. Not the person I met in my English class. I couldn't explain the change. He was different. All he wanted to do was fence with his friends so I decided to end my relationship with him. We broke up on good terms but I was still a little hurt because I thought I found someone I could trust outside of my family. We stopped talking after our break up and I liked it that way. The last time I saw him was before he graduated.

My life isn't perfect but I am content. I am who I am and I can't help it. As long as I have my dad, my guitar, and a notebook with a pencil attatched to it, life is pretty good.

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I was walking home from school. The sun was setting. I spent a couple of hours in detention because I snapped at my teacher. I don't like teachers. They think they are high and mighty just because they are adults and they can tell us what to do. I'm okay with the fact that teachers can tell us what to do but some just abuse their powers too much. It's irritating.

During detention, I was writing a new song. Sometimes, inspiration just hits me out of the blue, in random places. There was a time where I wrote a song in the bathroom. I wrote a song in the middle of a final. I rushed to my house because I wanted to start adding music to it.

I walked into my house and rushed to my room. My house wasn't the nicest. It was kind of small and it was always messy but I really didn't care much if it was clean or not. The only thing I truly take care of is my guitar. I walked into my room and opened the closet door. I picked up my guitar case, which was a dark shade of green. My name was drawn on the side of the case in a cool graffiti like style. Drawing was another one of my hobbies but I didn't enjoy it as much as I did playing the guitar.

I walked outside to the backyard. After work, my dad always took some time to relax on the hammock that he made when I was little. I walked over to him with a smile on my face.

"Sup daddy-o," I said. I always called him that. He didn't care what I called him which is what gave me more reasons why he is the coolest person I know.

"Hey Sammie," he responded. He was the only one that could call me that.

"I wrote a song today. Could we maybe play it for a while?"

"Sure. Here, hand me the guitar," he said and I carefully handed him my guitar. My dad used to own this guitar when he was in high school. It was pretty old so I had to be very careful. He opened the case and grabbed the guitar. He started tuning it so that the sound could come out perfect. He was on the last string when it suddenly broke.

"Crap," I cursed under my breath. We had no more guitar strings. They were a bit expensive.

"Sorry Sammie," he apologized. "Why don't we go buy some more?"

"But we barely have enough money for the bills," I stated, looking down a little disappointed. Life would be so much easier if we had a little more money.

"It's okay. I know how much your guitar means to you."

"How about I pay for the string?" I suggested, pulling out a wad of money from my pocket. He nodded and we made our way out of the door. There was a pawn show a few blocks away from my house. Maybe the guy that works there can give me a good deal.

"Sammie? How did you get that kind of money?" asked my dad.

"Oh. I took money from some nub on my way to school," I said honestly. I could always tell my dad everything and he wouldn't yell at me or ground me.

"Look, I know things are hard but I really don't approve of you doing these kind of things," he said in a serious tone.

"Yeah I know but what can we do? It's not like mom gets much from babysitting and you only make enough for the bills. I know I can't get a job because everyone in this damn neighborhood thinks I'm gonna steal their merchandise," I breathed out. My dad just gave me an understanding nod and we continued walking.

On our way, we saw a guy with really baggy jeans, a wife beater, and really dark sunglasses on. He had four guys, dressed exactly the same, following him. They approached another guy, dressed in similar fashion. They were gangsters. This neighborhood had a lot them but I've never seen them fight before.

"Hey, I heard you were talking shit about me," said the guy that had his friends backing him up. They all looked at the lonely one with such rage and anger. Like they were ready to throw fists.

"Yeah I have, so?" the other one answered pushing him, causing him to fall. His friends immediately attacked him. They threw him tot he ground and started punching him. They were all punching, kicking, and even spitting on him. I got suddenly scared. Sure, I've been in fights but I was never in something so brutal like that. There was blood everywhere.

"Hey break it up," I heard my dad yell and he ran to the gang. He tried to pull them away from the guy that was being attacked but one of them pulled a knife. I stood there, frozen. I wanted to go over and knock them out so bad but I wouldn't budge. I watched as the one with the knife took a blow at my dad. He stabbed him in the stomach.

"Stay out of our business old man," he said and stabbed him a few more times. My dad clenched his stomach and fell to the floor. The gangsters started panicking and they all fled the scene, including the one that my dad was trying to protect. I ran towards my dad and I took his cell phone out of his pocket. I dialed 911 as I grabbed my sweater and tried to stop the bleeding. It was useless. He was practically drowning in a puddle of blood.

The ambulance arrived and one of the paramedics came out with a stretcher. They carefully lifted him on top of it and one of the paramedics pressed two fingers on against neck, checking for a pulse. My heart pounded, wondering what the lady would tell me.

"I'm sorry sweetie, he has no pulse. I think it was the blood loss," she said, giving me a sympathetic look.

My heart was going a mile a minute, and so was my breathing. My dad was gone.

* * *

No one showed up to my dad's funeral. I was all alone at the cemetery. The workers quickly buried him and left me alone. I've never been so angry in my entire life.

The gangster that killed my dad was put on trial days after he passed away. He was found innocent. His stupid gangster buddies denied everything that happened and no one had any proof that he killed my dad. He was a smart and sneaky son of a bitch.

I was angry at my mom. The day she found out about my dad's murder, she drank until she passed out. she stopped babysitting and just sat around the house, drinking and drowning herself in misery. Every night she yelled at me, telling me it was my fault for my dad's death. That he would be alive if I haven't asked him to play my guitar. After so much verbal abuse, I began to believe it.

I was angry at Melanie and her stupid school. They wouldn't allow her to fly to Seattle for the funeral. The school principle said that he felt bad but he had to follow school policy. That he couldn't give her special treatment and that it was unfair to the rest of the student body. They only allowed her to come home for the holidays. This was the one time I actually needed her to be here. Her school just reached a new level of stupidity, even if they were the best school in the country.

I took a red rose and I gently placed it in front f my dad's tombstone. Normally, anyone would have been crying because they lost one of their loved ones but I didn't. I didn't see the point in crying. It's not like it was going to bring him back. Crying was a sign of weakness and that is the one thing I'm not. I am not weak and I will never allow anyone in anymore. As of now, it's just me, myself and I.

I stood there, staring at the pile of dirt with the rose on top of it when I saw a group of people from far away. They were coming my way because I saw a rectangular hole next to my dad's grave. I wasn't in the mood to see anyone so I ran towards a nearby tree and I watched them.

They all looked miserable as they cried helplessly. Everyone gave speeches and hugged each other before they buried whoever passed away. I couldn't stop staring at this guy around my age the entire time. He looked like he was the saddest out of all of them. He was light skinned and his hair was fluffed up. He was dressed in a black tuxedo. I saw him throw a rose as they lowered the coffin and he immediately placed his head on some girl's shoulder. Probably his girlfriend.

He walked away from everyone and sat down on the ground. I couldn't help but look at him with envy. He had all these people with him, they were crying with him, mourning with him, and my mom couldn't even get out of bed for one damn day to say one last goodbye to my dad. He started looking around and he stopped when he caught me looking at him. I was startled so I just walked away, shoving my hands in the pockets of my sweater.

I walked straight home. I opened the door and surprise surprise, my mom was drinking. She is going to get sick someday from all that alcohol. I was surprised she didn't get alcohol poisoning.

I walked into my room and picked up my guitar case. Music was the thing that brought me and my dad together. Now he was gone. I walked out of the room and up the attic. I gently placed my guitar next to all the items that I have abandoned in the past.

I decided to stop playing and give up music forever.

* * *

**Okay so that's chapter two. Next chapter, Sam and Freddie meet for the very first time. I think this story is going to be over 20 chapters. I have so much planned for Sam and Freddie. I'm very excited. Review and please let me know if you liked it. :)**

**Did you notice some iCarly reference earlier? If you didn't, Doug Totter was mentioned. You'll hear more about him in later chapters! I also wanted to apologize if Sam seems a bit confusing. In my personal opinion, I think Sam has a tough exterior but she is really a nice girl deep down inside. I think that she has too much pride to let that nice girl shine through in the series. So yeah, sorry if one minute she seems tough and the next she seems vulnerable. I think she's a pretty confusing character but that's maybe why she's my favorite. **

**I also apologize if the part where Sam's father dies seemed a bit too violent. I tried not to write it out so detailed.  
**

**On a sad note, I saw the newest iSaved Your Life promo. I wasn't very happy when I saw it. Sam seems like she's jealous a bit and I KNOW there is going to me a lot *shudders* Creddie in it. *sigh* we'll see what happens. Let me know what you think of the new promo. If you haven't seen it, I'm sure it's on youtube.**

**:D**


	3. Chapter 3: Puckett and Benson

**I wanted to thank those who have reviewed and given this story a chance. I didn't know that people aren't really fans of stories that don't exactly go with the iCarly storyline. So I really appreciate those who have considered this story. It means a lot to me.**

**Also, keep in mind that I DO use SOME ideas from the actual show. Carly plays a big role in this story and Gibby and Wendy will also make a couple of appearances. I just really want to try something new and challenge myself with this story. Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter. :)**

* * *

After my dad's funeral, I spent a week cooped up in my room doing nothing. I was not in the mood to deal with people's sympathy, not that they'd give me any because most of the school just likes to torture me. I just didn't want to walk into every single one of my classes knowing that my teachers would talk to me, give me advice, or ask me to go to a counselor to vent. I wanted to be alone.

Everyday, Carly would come visit me. We wouldn't talk much but she was sweet enough to bring me my homework everyday after school. It gave me more reason to like her but with every reason I found, I fell into a deeper level of sadness. Not only did I loose my dad, I knew that every single one of my desires to have Carly as my girlfriend would never be fulfilled.

I was happy with my life until I witnessed my dad get killed. With each passing day, I feel like the life I'm living is completely useless and that I'm not worth it enough to be alive. Things could be worse but my dad was my only source of happiness. I've always been content with me and Carly being just friends but after a while, being constantly rejected by her was heartbreaking. Now I don't have my dad to vent to or to talk to about these kind of things.

I wouldn't talk to my mom about my problems. Ever since the funeral she has become over protective to the point where it suffocates me. She said she's scared of loosing me that way we lost my dad. She wouldn't even let me go the store across the street in fear that I might get run over, kidnapped, raped, or any other possibility she could think of. I love my mom for caring but sometimes, a son just needs to some air to breath.

Occasionally, I would sneak out of my apartment and go to my fire escape. It was sort of MY place. The only place I had all to myself. I could just come up to the fire escape and just escape from all the problems in my life. I would think about all the kids at my school teasing me and some of the things they would call me. All the bullying didn't do much for my self esteem. Sometimes I would look at myself in the mirror in total disgust. I wasn't buff, I didn't dress in clothes that would normally drive a girl crazy, and I didn't have the face of what some girls would call "a total hottie." All these things made me feel ugly but despite what negative thoughts all these people put in my head, thinking about them in the fire escape, with the cool wind hitting my skin, I'd feel more relaxed and slightly content with myself.

* * *

I woke up at six in the morning, after a week of absence from school. That entire week, I'd go to bed past midnight and wake up almost at noon since I wasn't in the mood to do anything. It was extremely difficult to fall back into the routine of waking up early for school. But I couldn't ditch school for the rest of my life. I would be graduating in a couple of months and I didn't want my hard work to be thrown away so quickly.

My mom made me some plain oatmeal for breakfast. Since the funeral, she's been trying to keep me healthy so I wouldn't die so soon. She stopped buying potato chips, cookies, and more of my favorite snacks and started buying those one hundred calorie packs and low fat food. None of it tasted as good as what I was used to. I decided to skip breakfast. I gave my mom a simple and quick hug goodbye but she pulled me into a big, back breaking hug. I literally couldn't breathe.

I walked across the hall and knocked on Carly's door. She offered to walk to school with me so I wouldn't feel alone. I couldn't resist her offer. Any chance I had to spend time with Carly, I jumped at it. Spencer opened the door and motioned me to walk in. I made my way to the couch and sat down, not really saying anything. I still had a lot on my mind about my dad's death and the funeral.

"You okay kiddo?" asked a very concerned Spencer as he sat next to me on the couch. I sighed knowing he was going to ask me that. I just wanted to get my mind off all this negativity in my life for a while.

"I've been feeling better, thanks," I responded. We awkwardly stayed quiet for a few minutes. Spencer was like a big brother to me. We shared many common interests but we didn't have a whole lot to talk about since that tragic day. It was hard to talk about stuff other than my father.

"I know this is hard on you right now Freddie. If you ever need someone to talk to or just vent about anything, that's what I'm here for. You could also help me with some of my sculptures to get your mind off things. Just let me know. I'm only across the hall," he smiled at me, patted my shoulder a few times and stood up from the couch.

"Thanks Spencer," I said before he walked towards his room.

A few minutes later, I heard footsteps and they became louder as the seconds passed. Carly stood in front of me with a heart warming smile on her face. That smile that gave me slight hope that everything would turn out okay in the end. I stood up and she opened her arms so she could give me comforting hug. I wanted to hold her forever but I knew I had to let go eventually.

We walked out of the Bushwell Plaza and made our way to school. I was nervous about going back to school. I wondered what all my tormentors would say to me or what my teachers would tell me. As we walked towards school, I noticed that Carly was looking away from me and specifically at someone across the street. It was the new guy in the building. His name is Griffin. He was every girl's fantasy because he rides a motorcycle and he wasn't afraid to stand up for himself. Not to mention, he was tall, buff, and had such a smooth personality, from what I've seen. I felt a little jealous because I've always wanted Carly to look at me like that. After eying him for a few seconds, Carly shifted her head towards my direction. I quickly shoved my hands in my pockets and lowered my head down, looking at the ground so Carly wouldn't know that I was looking at her while she checked out Griffin.

"So, how have you been Freddie?" she asked, making conversation. I had the feeling that I was going to get asked that question a lot on my first day back.

"I'm feeling much better but I'm still a little depressed about my dad," I mumbled, not taking my eyes off the ground.

"Well, you know that I'm here if you ever need a friend or a shoulder to lean on," she said sweetly and gave me a small hug from the side. I gave her a weak smile.

"Can I ask you something Carly?" I asked. She nodded. "If I looked and acted like Griffin, would you look at me as more than a friend?"

I saw her eyes widened at the sudden and random question. I really wanted to know if she would think differently of me if I was a different person. She opened her mouth but didn't say anything. She seemed to be struggling to give me the correct answer, which I already knew anyways. I knew that she would like me the way I like her if I wasn't such a technology whiz.

"Uh- I- Freddie...," she stammered. "I don't know how to answer that without sounding like a completely shallow and horrible person."

"It's okay Carly, you don't have to answer. I already know," I said, my voice dripping in disappointment. Why do the nice guys finish always finish last? Shouldn't we get some sort of recognition for not treating the opposite sex like a piece of meat? If Carly was my girlfriend, I'd romance her twenty four seven and tell her how much she meant to me.

"I'm sorry. You know I love you but only as a brother. I'm sure there is a girl that will love you for who you are. It just takes time," she assured me, trying to make me feel better about the situation of me being in deep like with her. She was not helping.

"Don't worry about it," I mumbled. The rest of the walk was a very awkward one. We didn't say much to each other. Once we reached school, she gave me a hug and we parted ways. I saw her walk over to her best friend, Wendy. She was also a very nice girl. We don't talk a lot but from what I've seen, she's really sweet, just like Carly. She is Ridgeway's unofficial blogger. She owns a very popular blog and always posts the latest "gossip" going on in some of the popular people's lives. I think she would make a great journalist after high school.

I walked to my locker to drop off some of my textbooks. So far, school wasn't so bad. I thought too soon.

"Hey it's Fredqueer," yelled one of the football players, Steven. He only hates me because I refused to let him use my homework so he could copy the answers back in middle school. Ever since then, he would bully me and he even had his friends join in on their fun. Steven walked up to me grabbed one of my books.

"Where have you been dork?" he asked, flipping through the pages of my Chemistry book. "You've been gone for a week. Did the little geek get scared?"

Before I could respond, he shoved my book onto the floor, and shoved me against the locker next to me, my spine colliding with the knob of the locker. I screamed in pain but that only made their laughter increase. I dropped to the ground and attempted to grab my book. Steven used his foot to kick my butt so that I could fall flat on my face. I heard a million laughs around me and I couldn't take the humiliation. Steven and his friends walked away. I got up, people were still laughing at me, and I closed my locker before running to the bathroom.

I opened the door to the bathroom and walked over to the sink. I lowered my head towards the sink and began to hyperventilate. I could never get used to being tortured that way. That's what I get for following the rules. I get teased and tortured like I was some kind of old wet mop. I thought to myself, why? Why does everything bad happen to me? Did I do something wrong? I felt like a complete failure at life.

I splashed some cold water onto my face and grabbed some paper towels to dry myself off. As I was drying myself, my friend Gibby walked into the bathroom looking a little depressed. He looked at me with a surprised look on his face and walked towards me.

"Hey Freddie. It's good to see you back in school. I heard about your dad. I'm really sorry man," he said and patted my back.

"Yeah. It's been rough but I'll survive. Hey are you okay? You seem a little upset," I asked, throwing away the paper towels I used for my face.

"Yeah I'm good. I'm just bummed because on my way to school, some girl grabbed me by the shirt and slammed me against the wall. She threatened to hurt me if I didn't give her my lunch money."

"Oh wow Gibby again? Why are people so cruel?"

"I ask myself that question every day man," he said as he walked up to the mirror and took off his shirt. He reached into his backpack and took out a bottle of baby lotion which he used to rub all over my stomach. Gibby was no stranger to bullying either but he didn't really take it as badly as I did. He was always so confident in himself. He is a little on the large side but sometimes he proudly walked the hallways shirtless. I admired him for that, even is his ways were unusual and weird.

During lunch, I had an AV club meeting to attend. No one in the club knew why I was absent for so long. I needed to explain myself so they wouldn't freak out. After years of perfect attendance, everyone was pretty shocked to see that I was gone for five whole days. I walked up to the front desk to face them all.

"Attention everyone. The AV club meeting is now in session. Now before we begin, I feel like I must explain myself. I've been gone for a week and I deeply apologize for it. The truth is, almost a month ago, my father passed away. He got ran over by a drunk driver and after his funeral, I felt the need to stay at home for a few days. I hope you all understand," I announced. It was hard to explain this all to a classroom filled with students but as the captain of the AV club, I felt like I had to explain myself so I wouldn't get kicked out.

Surprisingly, they were all cool about it and very comforting. After a few minutes, our meeting officially began. Today's topic: Mac's VS. PC's. We debated on the pros and cons of each computer. It was a heated debate but Mac's won. The meeting really took my mind off of my dad.

The day was filled with teasing from the people that didn't like me and sympathy hugs from those that cared. It was a long day but I was glad it was over. I managed to keep myself busy and not think about the day of the accident. It felt great to be back in school and back into my normal schedule. Being at home for a week was great but I didn't realize how much I would miss school.

As I walked out of the school, I walked past the vending machine. My stomach growled in hunger. I completely forgot that I skipped breakfast and lunch. I was surprised I didn't pass out from the lack of food in my system. I turned back around and stood in front of the machine. I groaned at the lack of good snacks inside. All they had were Fat Cakes. They weren't my favorite snacks but I was hungry so I placed two dollar bills in the machine and grabbed two packs of Fat Cakes that the machine dispensed. Then I walked to the vending machine next to the previous one and payed for two Peppy Cola's. I couldn't settle for just one. My hunger grew and grew by the second.

I finally made my way out of Ridgeway. I began to think of how over protective my mother has become. I really wasn't looking forward to going home and have her smother me with her hugs or her worries so I decided to pay my dad a visit at the cemetery.

* * *

I walked nervously towards the cemetery. The fact that my dad wasn't around anymore was completely unreal. Everyday, I woke up thinking he was across the hall from my bedroom, fast asleep, but then reality would come smack me in the face to tell me that it wasn't true. That he was gone forever.

The cemetery was huge and hundreds of tombstones stuck out from the ground. There was a park right across from the cemetery with a small playground. It was probably there for the children to distract themselves while the grown ups came here to mourn their loved ones.

As I came closer to my dad's tombstone, I saw a girl sitting in front of the tombstone next to my dad's. Her back was facing me but something about her seemed so familiar but I couldn't put my finger on it. She had long curly blond hair and she was wearing a stripped sweater, shorts that stopped at the knee and high top sneakers. Her style was very different from most of the girls at Ridgeway. I was a few feet away from her when I heard her mumble the words "I miss you" in a soft tone.

I finally reached my destination and I sat down in front of the tombstone. I was right next to the blond girl. I wanted to say a few words to my dad but with her around, it became hard to speak. I didn't want to look like some creep talking to a deceased person though she probably wouldn't think that because she was just talking to whoever passed away in her family.

There was a small yellow flower standing right next to me. I picked it and I gently placed it in front of the concrete that had my dad's name engraved on it. Being at the cemetery brought back all the feelings that I tried suppress since the crash. Tears were threatened to fall from my eyes but this time I didn't give in so easily. I closed my eyes, hoping that I could control then. And I did.

I looked at the girl next to me. Her eyes didn't leave the tombstone in front of her. I couldn't stop staring at her. Something about her seemed so mysterious. The look on her eyes was hard to read. I didn't know if she felt sad or angry, if she felt anything at all. Her eyes were a hypnotizing shade of blue. They looked so icy and cold. I sort of lost myself in them.

"What are you staring at?" I snapped from my hypnotized state when she asked me that in a very rude tone. She probably had the right to snap at me like that. Staring was rude.

"I- I'm sorry," was all I could muster up. I felt embarrassed as my face became warm. I turned my head so that I wasn't looking at her anymore but I quickly failed because I found myself looking at her again.

"What is your problem? Are you going to stare at me like that all day or what?" she snapped at me again in that rude tone of hers.

"I'm sorry. It's just, you look kind of familiar. Have I seen you before?" I asked.

"I don't think so. Were you here last week with a bunch of people? You look kind of familiar too," she responded flatly but not rudely.

"Wait. You're the girl that was standing by the tree. I remember now," I said as I brought the palm of my hand to my forehead. She was the the sad girl form the funeral. The one that walked away when I saw her looking at me.

"Yeah...," she said softly. I looked at her up and down then I noticed a little bit of blood coming through her sweater.

"Hey are you okay? You're bleeding," I pointed to her arm and when she took a look, she cursed a few words under her breath. She pulled up her sleeve a little to reveal a few cuts on her arm. They weren't severe but they were deep enough to give her an infection.

"Yeah, I was running and I fell. No biggie," she said casually.

"Well," I said and opened my backpack taking out a small first aid kit. "My mom made me take this to school today in case anything bad happened. I have some wipes, Neosporin and some band aids. Let me clean that for you."

"Uh... okay?" she said. I gently grabbed her arm and pulled it towards me. I could feel her tense up a little but she soon relaxed. I grabbed a moistened wipe that was soaked in alcohol and began to rub it on her cuts, cleaning away any sign of infection. "Shit!" she cursed. The alcohol must have stung a little. Then I dabbed some ointment on her cuts and used my finger to cover up all her cuts. I took out three band aids and gently placed them on her wounds, making sure I didn't apply too much pressure.

"There you go," I smiled at her. She looked very uncomfortable and she just nodded as a sign of thanks. My stomach began growling again and I took out my fat cakes and soda from my back pack. I began to open the pack of sugary pink treats and as I was about to take a bite, I noticed the blond looking at me.

"Is that a fat cake?" she asked. I looked at her closely. She looked at me and then at the snack on my hands. She kept looking back and forth. She was probably as hungry as I was.

"Yeah. Here," I said and I handed her the packet of unopened Fat Cakes. I also handed her a can of Peppy Cola. She took them and began to open the package very aggressively. I stared at her with my eyes widened. In less than a minute she was done with her Fat Cakes and Peppy Cola. She saw me staring at her and she began to look down. She probably felt embarrassed. She wiped away some of the pink colored sugar from her mouth.

"Um, thanks," she said very awkwardly. She didn't seem very comfortable giving me her thanks but I gladly took it.

"Anytime," I said with a smile on my face.

Her attention went back to the stone in front of her. I felt this tension between us. Since we were sitting pretty close to each other, it was very awkward to not say anything. I wanted to strike a conversation so the awkwardness could just disappear but I didn't know what to tell her. I didn't even know who she was. I've never seen her before in my life, besides the day of the funeral but that didn't count.

"So...," I said, trying to start a conversation. I looked at the name on the stone. It said Matthew Puckett. "Is Matthew your father?"

She didn't turn to look at me. She remained still before she nodded slowly, not taking her eyes off the curved piece of concrete in front of her.

"I'm sorry... I um, this is my dad too," I said. I heard her grunt. Probably form annoyance.

"Is this your idea of small talk? Maybe I don't want to talk to you," she snapped at me and quickly stood up. She walked away, increasing speed in her pace. I watched her until she stopped by the tree nearby. She stood there, her back facing me, and she didn't do anything. It seemed as if she couldn't move. A few seconds later she fell to the ground and pulled her knees up so that her arms could rest on top of them.

Guilt suddenly flashed through me. I couldn't explain why I began to feel so guilty. Maybe because she lost her father and I felt for her. I sighed before I stood up so I could approach her. I stood next to her and she didn't budge. She just looked at the empty space in front of her. I took this as a sign that she didn't want me to leave so I sat next to her. I took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry again. I know what it's like to not want to talk to anyone. People have been bugging me with questions all day. I shouldn't have said anything," I said, looking straight ahead.

"Okay, I guess," she said softly. We sat there by the tree, not saying anything. The silence between us was no longer awkward. I understood if she didn't want to say anything. She probably lost her father as recently as I did and was probably just as saddened as I was. We sat there in pure silence for over twenty minutes. Yes, I counted because this was the first time I was actually near a girl, besides Carly, and she didn't make fun of me or walk away from me in disgust.

I didn't notice that I had spent over two hours at the cemetery. I had to go back home before my mom smothered me with even more worries and cries. I stood up and looked at the girl next to me. She shifted her head so that she was looking back at me. Something about the way she looked at me told me she didn't want me to leave. Like she had silently asked me _why are you leaving? _I grabbed my backpack and shook off whatever dirt that was on the back of my jeans. I looked at her again. I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye. We DID spent the rest of the afternoon together, sort of.

"Hey, do you come here often around this time?" I asked. She nodded. "What is your name?"

She looked at me weirdly before she answered. "I barely know you dude."

"Fair enough. Well I'm going to be coming here more often now to get away from my mom after school. I noticed that on your father's tombstone it says Matthew Puckett. I'm guessing that's your last name. If I see you again, I'll just call you Puckett."

She raised an eyebrow at me. I probably creeped her out like I always do to girls. "So what you want me to call you Benson or something? I saw the name on your dad's stone too."

"I'm cool with that. Well, I better go. Maybe I'll see ya later, Puckett," I said and I walked away.

The cemetary wasn't far away from Bushwell. It took about twenty minutes to get there by foot, which didn't bother me at all so I walked home. Outside of the building, I saw Carly talking to Griffin. His back was against the wall and Carly stood in front of him. She looked a little shy but she wouldn't stop giggling at whatever joke he was telling her, if he said a joke at all. One thing I've learned about girls from Carly is that if a guy is cute, girls will laugh because they are cute and not because they are funny. That really didn't make sense to me.

Neither of them paid much attention when I walked past them. I don't think Carly noticed me. The jealousy that I felt early in the morning when we walked to school found it's way back. I've always wanted someone to look at me like that or even giggle at me the way she did with Griffin.

I walked inside of the building only to get yelled at by the annoying doorman. As I made my way up the stairs, I felt something hit the back of my neck. He threw a taco at me. I didn't bother to fight with him. I was exhausted and I just want some sleep.

When I finally walked into my apartment, my mother ran to the door and threw her arms around me. She was crying.

"Oh Freddie, thank God you're home. I was worried sick about you," she cried as I tried to get away from her.

"Calm down mom. I was visiting my dad after school."

"Well you should have called me," she said strongly before wiping away a few tears from her eyes.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I'm going to relax a little bit and do my homework. I want to be alone." I lied about wanting to be alone. I just didn't want to be with my mom.

I quickly walked into my room and threw myself onto my comfortable bed. My hands covered my face as I began to think about everything that happened today, especially what happened after school.

Something told me that I have made a new friend.

* * *

**Sooo what did you guys think? In the next chapter, you'll pretty much get to see a day in the life of Sam, or Puckett according to Freddie. I think it would be odd if they just instantly became like best friends so I came up with the idea that the two of them should call themselves by their last name and as time progresses, they will get to know each other more and more. Also, if you're wondering, the story takes place early December. I don't know what the Seattle weather is like in December so I could be wrong whenever I write about the weather so just bare with me lol.  
**

**Anyways, iSaved Your Life will premiere VERY soon. I'm a little anxious for it but we'll see what happens :)**


	4. Author's Note

Sorry for the Author's Note. But I feel like I must say this.

I was completely unaware that people don't like stories that are... "AU".... which I don't know what that means.

So I was thinking about deleting this story completely and just focus on iDavid and it's sequel.

Let me know what you think. And if you have any questions do not be afraid to ask. I'll gladly answer!


	5. Chapter 4: Bully

**So I am NOT deleting this story. I guess I was just a little upset at the time but I made sure to reply to all your reviews letting you know that I'm continuing this story. :)**

**I figured it wouldn't be fair to those who really like it. And I'm surprised because I got a large amount of reviews on my author's note. If I could get that many reviews on one chapter, that would motivate me to update sooner.**

**I'm glad you all liked the third chapter. I think it's cute that Sam and Freddie don't know each others' first names. As they slowly learn to trust each other more, they will learn each others' names but that's later on in the story. Until then, enjoy chapter four :)**

* * *

It's been a little over a month since my dad was murdered and about two weeks since his funeral. I wanted to stay home and do nothing but being at home was a lot worse than being in school. At home, I was stuck with an alcoholic mom and the temptation to pick up my guitar and play some music. As much as I wanted to play it, I just couldn't. That guitar brought way too many memories of my dad and looking at it would just bring me down even more. I felt like putting away my guitar forever would make it that much easier for me to accept that he is gone.

I groaned at the annoying beeping of my cell phone. I wasn't in the mood for school but I knew I was less miserable there so I quickly got out of bed and took out random clothes from my closet. I went into my bathroom to get ready. That's the one thing I love about my room. It had it's own bathroom so if I was ever upset, I didn't have to leave the room to do my business. I could stay in my room all day without any problems.

It didn't take me too long to get ready. I would just throw on anything I could find. My clothes didn't always match but I somehow manage to pull it off well. I don't wear much make up either. Just a little foundation to cover up any bruises from falling or from getting into fights. Occasionally I'd wear eyeliner but those are the VERY RARE days when I want to look pretty.

I took a quick glance at the mirror, grabbed my backpack, made my way downstairs. The living room was a mess. My mom hardly cleaned up the house and I didn't care enough to clean it up for her. The only thing I'd ever clean up were the bottles of alcohol that she would throw on the floor. Just looking at them made me want to throw up. I despised alcohol with a burning passion. It was one of the reasons why my life has been a complete mess since my dad's death.

My mom was asleep on the couch with a half empty bottle of vodka in her hands. I disappointingly shook my head at her and took the bottle of alcohol from her. I walked back upstairs and into my room. I opened up one of my drawers and placed the bottle inside, along with other bottles I managed to take from my mom when she was passed out. I sighed and went back downstairs, picking up six empty bottles of beer and throwing them away.

I walked to the front door before turning my head to look at my mom. I smiled weakly at her direction and walked out of the house.

* * *

I attend Seattle High (A/N I don't know if it's a real school but I just made that up) which is not far away from my house making it easy for me to just walk to school instead of driving, not like I can drive to school anyways. I do have my license but I never put it use because our car is old, rusty, and broken. We never have the money to fix it.

I was walking towards the corner by the bus stop so that I could cross the street when something round and bouncy bumped into me, causing me to fall on my ass. I looked up to see what made me fall when I saw him. It was the chubby, goofy looking dweeb that I somehow always run into almost three times a week. Today was no different. He looked at me with fear and I didn't blame him. Every time I run into him, I grab him by the shirt and force him to give me his lunch money. I made sure no one was looking and dragged him into an alley nearby, slamming him against the wall.

"You know the drill," I said quickly and put my hand out in front of him so that he could give me his lunch money.

"But- but I need this money for lunch. What am I going to eat?" he asked nervously. I pulled him towards me and then angrily slammed him against the wall.

"Okay okay here," he said, going through his pockets nervously. He quickly handed me his money and ran away from me, crying and screaming in fear. I smirked at the twenty dollar bill he gave me and stuffed it into my pockets. Sometimes that desperate and sad look he gives me makes me feel sorry for him. I know it's not a nice feeling to strip someone from all of their money but then I begin to think about it. No one ever cares about my feelings. No one cares about me so why should I care how others feel? I walked out of the alley and continued walking to school.

By the time I walked into school, the warning had already rung. I was never early to class. If anything, I always came to classes one minute before the tardy bell rang. My school is a pretty trashed school. It's always dirty, almost every desk is tagged with random drawings or perverted images such as penises or stick figures having sex, and about 85% of the students were potential high school drop outs. Everyone saw me as one of those. Everyone thinks I am a horrible student just because I always look like I'm ready to pass out in every classroom, which is sometimes true. But mainly, people think I will be some drop put because of the way I act towards others and because I always act like school doesn't matter to me.

What people do not know is that I actually do really well in school. I get mostly C's and B's. The only class I get an A in is in my creative writing class. The teacher always lets her students write anything we want. She just assigns us topics. I always write songs for her class. She says I have a gift but I never really considered songwriting a gift. It's just something I enjoy doing, or enjoyed because I don't do it anymore. Lately I haven't been turning in anything for that class and my grade has suffered royally.

Me and my teachers have some sort of understanding. They never publicly talk about my grades. I always meet with them after class and they would congratulate me on my work and so I can turn in my homework. If people think I'm such a rebel, I like to keep them thinking it's true and my teachers fully understand that. As long as I turn in my homework every day, they really don't mind.

I was in my Geometry class, pretending to not pay attention, when the classroom's phone started to ring. I watched my teacher as he stood up and answered it. He began to look at me and quickly hung up the phone. I furrowed my eyebrows, wondering if that phone call was about me.

"Samantha? You counselor wants to see you," he said, making his way back to his desk.

"It's SAM," I whined to him and I exited the classroom.

I sat in the counseling office, waiting to be called by Mrs. Adams. She as my counselor and she was a pretty good person to talk, not that I talk to her often but lately she's been wanting to talk to me a lot. She wanted to see if I've been feeling okay. Mrs. Adams walked out of her office and signaled me to go inside her office.

I walked in and she pointed at the chair next to her desk. I sat down and looked at her, waiting for her to speak. She was concentrated on whatever she was typing on her computer before she sighed, took her glasses off, and shifted her head towards me.

"Sam, I've been looking over your grades. You have dropped one letter grade in all of your classes. I know things are hard right now because of what happened to your dad but you have to remember to stay focused in school. This is your senior year and you graduate very soon. It'd hurt me to see you give up so close to graduation. "

I rolled my eyes and sighed at how annoying her concern for me was. As far as I know, she doesn't know how I feel or what I'm going through. She has no right telling me what's best for me.

"Look, you can tell me that I need to do better in school all you want but it's not gonna change my mind. Who told you about my dad anyways? Whatever happens to my family is my family's business," I snapped back at her rudely. She leaned back on her chair and crossed her arms. One thing I DID admire about her was her patience. Anyone would have given me detention for snapping at them like that. I guess that's why she's a counselor.

"It's my job to know if anything big happens to all of our students such as major injuries or family deaths. It's my job to make sure you continue to get good grades. Sam, please don't let this hold you back. You are so close to graduating and I don't want you to give up this easily. I am going to be giving you a weekly," she said and pulled out a yellow sheet of paper with a chart on it.

"What is a weekly?" I asked.

"A weekly is like a weekly report card. I want to make sure you are getting all of your work done personally so I want you to give this to your teachers every Friday so that they can record your performance, understood? Don't let this hold you back," she said and handed me the sheet of paper. I looked at it for a moment before she spoke again.

"You're creative writing teacher came to me a few days ago. She says you don't turn in anything anymore and from what she's shown me, you're such a talented writer. Your lyrics are so inspiring. Why did you stop?"

I hated that she asked me that question. No one at school knows that I don't just write songs for homework. It's something that me and my dad used to do since I was little. My dad was gone and so was that part of my life.

"Maybe I don't have the inspiration. Maybe I don't feel like writing songs. I'll just write her some stories or something," I mumbled.

"Okay that's good. Just as long as you turn in something. I'll see you this Friday Sam," she said and signaled me to leave her office. I walked out and headed back to class.

* * *

Lunch time had finally arrived. It was seriously my favorite time of day because I didn't have to be in a classroom and I didn't have to deal with anyone, unless they approached me first.

I always ate by myself during lunch. I don't consider that a completely bad thing. Lately, that's all I've been wanting to do. Be alone. I always go to the cafeteria to get something to eat and then I go back to one of the benches in the main hall and I sit there and eat by myself. The reason I choose the main hallway is because a lot of the nerds walk past me when I eat and I get a kick out of tripping some of them unexpectedly. I know it's wrong but it's hilarious.

I went to the cafeteria to grab a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I gave the cafeteria lady two dollars for my lunch. Thanks a lot chubby nerd from earlier today. I walked into the main hallway and sat on my usually bench. I watched as some of the nerds of Seattle High walked in. They took one look at me and cautiously walked in front of me, probably hoping that I wouldn't trip them. I did anyways and I laughed. I took a bite out of my sandwich and continued looking for more people to trip.

I continued eating when I saw a girl come my way. It was Mindy. She was probably the only person that I truly hated in this world. She sat next to me and gave me an evil smirk. I just stared at her with a blank expression.

"Hey Samanthaaa," she said mockingly. That bitch knows I don't like being called by my first name. "I see you're still wasting your life tripping innocent nerds."

"Why do you care?" I said rudely, giving her a disgusted look. She always knew how to get under my skin.

Mindy is Doug's ex girlfriend. When I met him, he was going out with her but then he broke up with her so that he could be with me. I didn't hate her at first but when she found out that she was dumped for another girl, she would try and start fights with me. She would make fun of me or try to humiliate me in public. She is the only person that isn't afraid of me and isn't afraid to fight me. I've gotten into many fights with her in the past. She is just as tough as I am, only that she is a lot more girlie than me.

"I don't," she said as she started to check out her nails. "I'm just supporting what I see."

"Aw are you still bitter that Doug dumped you for me?" I said, giving her an exaggerated pout.

"Whatever SAMANTHA," she said back. The bell rang and she stood up. "Well, I better get to class. See unlike you, I actually care about graduating."

She began to walk away but I place my foot in front of hers and I tripped her. She fell, face first, flat on the ground and I laughed loudly.

"Later Mindy," I said and I walked to my next class.

* * *

I was happy that school was finally over but I wasn't so happy about going back home. I knew that my mom would be drunk or hungover and I really didn't want to deal with her. I made sure to walk home slowly so that I could deal with her later.

Unfortunately, the walk back home was too short. I walked inside, and the house reeked of alcohol. I never understood how my mom received the money to buy more alcohol or if she kept a stash hidden somewhere. She always had a bottle of some sort of alcoholic beverage with her.

I walked into the kitchen and found my mom taking shots of tequila by the sink. I wanted to go over to her and snatch the drink form her hands but the smell was too strong for me to even get anywhere near her. I just looked at her, disgusted.

"Why do you drink so much mom?" I asked her. I actually tasted some of her drinks before. It was the most disgusting thing I've ever tasted in my life. She looked at me with so much hatred and it scared me. Seeing my mom so angry was something I could never get used to. She threw her shot glass at me. I quickly dodged it and it landed on a floor, shattering into millions of tiny pieces.

"Why? You're seriously asking me why I drink so much? This is all YOUR fault. You're the reason Matthew is dead. You're the reason why my life is a mess. You ruined my life. You and your stupid guitar," she yelled and ran to me, shoving me to the ground. She grabbed my wrists and I struggled to get away from her but she was much more stronger than I was.

She let one of my wrists go and she slapped me across the face, hard. She let go of my other wrist and I stood up. I didn't even think twice about it. I grabbed my backpack and I ran out of the house.

I ran and ran until I couldn't feel my legs anymore. I stopped to catch my breath. I wanted to cry because of how messed up my life was but I held back the tears. Crying was not in my vocabulary. I placed my hand on my cheek. It was burning and the pain was tremendous. I walked to the bus the bus stop across the street and sat down on the bench. I opened my backpack and took out a small bottle of liquid foundation and a make up sponge. I opened the bottle and dabbed some foundation onto the sponge. I took out a mirror from the front pocket of my backpack and I began to cover up the red mark on my cheek.

When I was done, I decided to go to the cemetery. It wasn't far from my house so I walked there. On my way, I passed by a small convenient store. I was feeling hungry so I walked in and grabbed three bags of beef jerky and two bottles of root beer. I payed the cashier and I stuffed all the food into my backpack, except for one bag of jerky. As I walked out of the store, I began to eat some of the glorious meat that was in my hands.

Most girls like to eat ice cream or chocolate as a kind of comfort food. Mine is meat, specifically beef jerky and ham. I took one bite of my beef jerky and I began to feel a lot better than I did when my mom slapped me. I was pretty much done with the whole bag in five minutes. When it comes to meat, I eat it a lot and I eat it fast. if meat were a boy, I'd marry him because meat is the most delicious food ever and it always knows how to make me feel better.

* * *

I made it to the cemetery and I saw Benson there, sitting against the tree by our dad's tombstones, with a laptop on his legs. I met Benson about a week after my dad's funeral. He was probably the first person to ever talk to me without being afraid of me beating them up. At first, I was no where near interested in even talking to him but he saw that I had a couple of cuts on my arm, which were cause by my mom when she threw a broken beer bottle at me but he doesn't know that, and decided to make them better. I wanted to laugh when I saw that he had a first aid kit in his backpack. It was so dorky but he was considerate enough to make me feel better AND share his snacks with me so I didn't laugh at him. He was a little annoying though because he kept talking and talking to me. I snapped at him and walked away but for some reason he came after me and apologized. He wasn't afraid of me and I felt like there was some kind of understanding between us because we are sort of going through the same thing. He hasn't told me why his father died and neither did I.

Benson is his last name. We came to an agreement to call each other by our last names only. I didn't trust him enough to tell him my name and he was surprisingly cool about it. So I call him Benson and he calls me Puckett. I saw him a couple of times after the day we first met. We didn't talk a whole lot and when we did, it was just random talk. The last time I saw him, we talked about pigeons and how dirty and disgusting they are.

As I walked towards him, a small smile appeared on my face. Even though I don't trust him a whole lot, something about spending time with him, even if we didn't talk at all, felt very comforting.

I finally reached him and I sat next to him. "Sup Benson? What cha doing?"

"Hey Puckett. How are you?" he asked, completely ignoring my question. He didn't take his eyes off his laptop. I looked at his face closely. There was a small bruise on his cheekbone, about an inch below his eyes. I ignored it and answered his question.

"I'm okay I guess. Just a little tired. So what are you doing?"

He closed his laptop and stretched his arms. "I was just working on my school's website. The principle wants me to design a new layout."

"Oh so you're all into all that technical stuff? You like web design?" I asked curiously. I've never met someone who was interested in stuff like computers and web design. My only interaction with computer nerds were the ones I tripped during lunch.

"Yeah I do. Besides, he is paying me," he responded with a smirk on his face.

"Well you can't question that. Who doesn't enjoy getting paid?" I said and we both began to laugh quietly.

"Yeah I have the design done, now I have to type the HTML code for it. It could take a while," he said.

"Why are you doing it here then?"

"I'd rather work on it here then at home. My mom is a little crazy."

"Tell me about it," I said, not trying to sound too serious.

"Yeah...," he said and opened his laptop again and began to work on the coding for the website. I looked at the screen and all I saw was different letters, numbers, and symbols I didn't recognized.

"That looks complicated. How do you do this? You must be a really big dork at your school," I blurted out. I didn't take the time to notice how insulting that sounded.

"What?" he stopped what he was doing and he looked at me. He looked... angry. I didn't say anything. He closed his laptop and shoved it into his backpack. He stood up and began to walk away very angrily. What did I do?

"Hey what's wrong?" I asked and I ran after him. I finally reached him but he didn't stop walking. I was beginning to get annoyed because he didn't answer me. He just kept on walking. I grabbed him the arm and I turned him around forcefully so that he was facing me.

"What's your deal Benson? You look pissed off."

"Well maybe I am. Maybe I'm sick of people calling me a dork, a nerd, or a dweeb," he snapped. I looked at him and he looked incredibly hurt.

"Um, do people call you that at your school?" I asked.

"Oh they do a lot more than just call me names. You don't know how it feels to get teased every day," he responded.

That desperate and hurt look on his face brought this new feeling to me. I felt guilty. Not only for him but for all the people I have teased before. I didn't know it was such a big deal.

"I'm sorry," I said to him. This was probably the first I ever apologized to someone for calling them a dork. "I didn't know. I won't call you that again okay?"

He faintly nodded and we walked back to the tree. We sat down, neither of us saying anything. He was typing away on his laptop and I stared at the bruise on his cheek. I began to wonder if he ever gets beaten up at his school.

"So... how did you get that bruise on your cheek?" I asked him, trying to sound as casual as I could.

"What? There's a bruise on my cheek? Damn it," He said and took out his MP3 player so that the could look at himself form the shiny metal backside.

"How did you get that bruise? Did someone hit you?" I asked again. He took a deep sigh.

"Yes... long story short, this guy from school hates me just because I wouldn't let him copy my homework and he's been beating me ever since. This is the first time he hits me in the face," he said.

I was shocked, surprisingly. I know I tend to tease nerds too but I would never go as far as beating them up over some homework. Then, I finally understood why he was so upset when I called him a dork. He probably thought I wouldn't call him that and that's why he didn't run away from me when we first met. I felt extremely guilty. Feeling sorry for someone wasn't something normal for me. I felt strange.

"I'm really sorry," I said and I made sure he knew that I meant it. He just nodded. I sighed and I reached into my backpack.

"Here," I said and I handed him a bottle of foundation and a sponge. He took it and then looked at me weirdly.

"What is this?" he asked , looking at the bottle curiously.

"It's make up. When we met, you said your mom worries a lot about you right? Well, use this to cover up your bruise so she doesn't freak out."

"But make up is for girls," he protested. I chuckled a little.

"It's okay. Make up is great for covering up cuts and bruises. I've gotten into fights before. I use this all the time to cover up some marks," I somewhat lied. I use the foundation to cover up any mark my mom gives me when she gets drunk.

"Oh okay... thanks," he said. "Um how do you use this?"

I grabbed the bottle and sponge form him and I decided to cover up his bruise myself, giving him specific instructions on how to make it look natural and not fake. When I was done, I handed him back the bottle of foundation.

"There. Now you can't even tell that there is a bruise there."

"Wow. Thanks a lot Puckett but I can't take this bottle," he said, trying to give me back the make up.

"It's okay Benson, I have more. You can put some on tomorrow before school or something," I assured him.

"Thanks. Hey I think I'm going to go home. I don't want to worry my mom too much," he laughed a little, lightening the mood.

"Cool. See ya," I said and I watched him walk away.

I walked towards my dad's tombstone and I stared at It for a few minutes.

"I miss you," I whispered. I turned around and I walked back home, hoping my mom would be sleeping.

* * *

The next day, as I was walking towards school, I bumped into the chubby nerd again. I grabbed him by the collar of his dorky plaid shirt and dragged him to the same alley I always drag him too. I slammed him against the wall and I froze.

He had this scared look on his face, just like the one Benson gave me the day before. I shrugged and I pushed the nerd even more against the wall. I froze again. I looked at the nerd in front of me and all I saw was Benson's hurt expression. I couldn't do it. I released the chubby kid from my grasp and I made him leave. He ran away, screaming like he always does.

I walked out of the alley and pushed my bangs away form my forehead in frustration. I took out a big wad of cash from my backpack and I examined it closely.

"I guess I'm going to have to stretch you as much as I can," I said to the folded stack of money. I felt too guilty to ever steal money from the chunky nerd again.

* * *

**Okay so I hoped you liked this chapter. I hope I didn't rush this too much but with every passing chapter, Sam and Freddie are going to grow closer and closer. I can't wait for you all to read chapter five. I think it's going to be quite an adventure for Freddie lol.  
By the way, does anyone know who the chubby nerd is? If you read chapter three then you probably figured out that it's Gibby haha. Gibby does play an important part in this story.**

**Please review :)**


	6. Chapter 5: Weekend Run

**Hey there. So I'm a little upset that I didn't get that many reviews on the last chapter. The author's note I posted before got bombarded with reviews asking me to not delete but I barely got any on the previous chapter. I can't force you all to review but it would really make me a happy girl if you did. *SIGH* other than that, I really hope you guys like this chapter. I personally love it hehehe.**

* * *

I woke up at six in the morning on a Saturday. Waking up this early was something I grew accustomed to over the years. Weekends were always something I looked forward to. Me and my dad used to go to the fencing studio early in the morning and fence for hours at a time. I always had a great time at the studio. Not only was fencing fun, it always brought out this confident guy that's always hiding whenever I'm at school. It made me feel good about myself but that part of my life is gone. Now I have nothing to look forward to on Saturdays and Sundays.

I got out of bed and walked into my bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. I patted my face dry and I saw that I still had that bruise on my cheek. It wasn't big or ugly looking but it was still noticeable enough for my mom to go completely psycho on me. I never told her that Steven and his group would sometimes hit me or push me enough to land on the floor. As far as she knows, they just call me names.

I walked out, grabbed my backpack, and walked back into the bathroom. I pulled out the bottle of foundation that Puckett gave me two days ago. I felt like a complete idiot putting make up on face but she said it was great for covering up bruises and she was right. It was like magic. I dabbed some make up on a a sponge and gently spread some of the foundation on my cheek. In a matter of seconds, the bruise was gone. I sighed and began to think of what Steven did to make this bruise appear on my face. It wasn't my fault. I was running late to class and I didn't even notice that he was in my way. I accidentally ran into him and he began to call me all these names. Next thing I knew, I felt a fist on my face and I fell to the floor. I wish he'd leave me alone.

I got dressed and I walked to the kitchen. My mom made pancakes, with low fat syrup of course, and placed two plates filled with food on the table. We sat down and began to eat our food silently. The only noise that could be heard were forks tapping our plates. It was incredibly awkward. Things between my mom and me have been nothing but awkward lately. We barely talked like we used to. All she wants to do is make sure I'm safe and it was driving me up the wall. I couldn't take her over protectiveness.

"Freddie?" she broke the silence.

"Yeah mom?"

"You get home from school late and you rarely talk to me on the weekends because you lock yourself up in your room or you go to Carly's. Why are you so distant?" she asked. She looked really upset. I hated seeing my mom like that but it became very difficult to feel sorry for her. I just didn't feel like talking to her and I didn't want to hear her talk and talk about the different things she could do to protect me.

"Mom," I whined, "I'm sorry. Maybe I just want some time to myself or time away from home. Is that so wrong?"

"Well no but I miss spending time with you. I know you're upset honey and I know you're still hurting but don't forget that you have a mom too. I'm just as upset as you. I need you so that we can get through this together, Freddie," she said, almost in tears. I began to feel terrible.

"Okay, I'm sorry mom," I said. Both of us were done with out breakfast. I grabbed both of our plates and placed them on the sink.

"Get ready Freddie. We're going grocery shopping," she said.

"But mom!" I groaned. I really didn't feel like going with her.

"No buts Freddie. Get ready because we are going grocery shopping," she said in a strict tone.

"FINE!," I whined and walked back to my room to put on my shoes and a sweater.

We hopped on to my mom's car and we were at the grocery store in no time. We got off and I grabbed a shopping cart while my mom walked to the fruit ans vegetable section. I pushed the cart around while my mom placed plenty of fruits and vegetables into bags and putting them in the cart. I didn't do much. I just followed her around. I was wondering if my mom wanted to spend more time together by dragging me to the grocery store. She didn't say much to me so I thought that my presence was completely unnecessary.

We were walking along the bathroom section, looking at different brands of toilet paper when my mom decided to start a conversation with me.

"So Freddie, you're never home on school days. What could you possibly be doing after school? It's not like the AV club meets after school," she asked, not bothering to look at me. I rolled my eyes.

"Nothing mom. I go to the cemetery and I tell my dad about my day," I responded.

"Really? Everyday?" she said, finding it hard to believe. It's not like it was a complete lie. I did go to the cemetery almost every day but most of the time I'd be talking to Puckett.

"Yeah. Why?" I asked.

"Well if you want to talk to someone, you can always just talk to me. You don't need to go there every day."

"But I like going there. There's also a park right across the street. It's a great place to clear my mind mom. I promise I'll spend more time with you on the weekends. I'm still going to the cemetery every day," I said. Maybe that will get her off my back for a while.

"Okay Freddie," she said and she continued putting different items in the cart as we walked through every isle.

We were finally done buying the groceries and my mom was putting all of them in the trunk of the car. I took the cart back to the entrance of the store when I noticed a small stand. There was a man selling roses. It was weird because I didn't notice him when we arrived. I decided to walk up to the stand to look at the roses.

"How much?" I asked the man behind the stand.

"Five dollars for half a dozen roses," he said and picked up six roses that were wrapped in shiny plastic paper.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my wallet, making sure I had enough money. As if it were some kind of miracle, there were only ten dollars in my wallet. I decided to buy half a dozen for my dad and half a dozen for Puckett's dad. I haven't seen one flower on her dad's tomb and I thought it would nice to give Puckett something in return for helping me conceal my bruise.

"I'll take a dozen," I said and handed the man my ten dollars. I grabbed the roses and went back to the car. I hopped inside and my mom gave me a confused look.

"What are the flowers for?" she asked. Did she really have to? I don't just buy roses for no reason.

"I'm going to leave this at the cemetery. They were pretty cheap too," I said.

"Hm... okay then. But don't take too long. You always seem to take your time when you're there," she said. I simply nodded.

We arrived back home and I helped my put the groceries away. I tried to cheer her up a bit by talking to her about the AV club and how greta they have been to me after being gone for a week. When we were done, she was smiling from ear to ear. As annoying as she may be, she is still my mom and I love seeing her happy.

I grabbed the flowers that I bought at the store earlier and I walked to the front door.

"Mom! I'm going to drop off these flowers. I'll be back as soon as possible okay?" I announced.

"Okay dear. BE CAREFUL!" she said in a protective, motherly tone. I chuckled a little and walked out of my apartment.

* * *

As I was walking down the hall, I saw Carly coming from around the corner.

"Hey Freddie," she greeted me and gave me a friendly hug. "Where are you going?"

"Oh I'm going to leave these for my dad. Do you want to come with me?"

"Of course. I was actually planning on leaving some flowers for him today too. Give me a sec. I'm gonna go get the flowers I bought for him from my house," she said.

"Okay," I said as she ran back to her place. It didn't take her long to come back out. She was holding a couple of different colored tulips, wrapped around in shiny paper like my roses. I smiled at her and we walked out of Bushwell.

I haven't been spending a lot of time with Carly either lately. She's been going out with Griffin almost everyday. I was beginning to think they were boyfriend and girlfriend. Just the thought of it brought a sharp pain to my chest.

"So... why so many flowers Freddie?" she asked, looking at all the flowers I was holding in my hand.

"Oh no reason," I lied. I haven't really told anyone that I've been hanging out with a complete stranger almost everyday lately. I would like to see what happens between me and Puckett before welcoming her into my world, not that I feel anything towards her except for a starting friendship...

"Oh okay," she said and then silence fell in between us. Awkward silence, I might add.

"Um Carly? So you and Griffin are together now?" I asked.

"Where did that question come from?"

"Well, I've been seeing you two together a lot lately and we don't really hang out much anymore," I said, hoping she would just give me a yes or a no.

"Actually, he asked me to be his girlfriend last night. I hope that doesn't bother you," she said sweetly. I could tell she was trying her best not to hurt me. I smiled at her weakly.

"No it's okay Carly. As long as your happy," I said, hoping to not make her feel guilty because my crush from her was still there.

We arrived at the cemetery and placed the flowers in front of my dad's tombstone. I smiled at Carly and asked her if she wanted to sit with me for a while. She smiled back and nodded.

"Wow...," she said. "It's really peaceful out here. Oh God. I'm at a cemetery and I just said that it's peaceful. I hope that doesn't make me sound creepy."

I began to laugh. If this were a month ago, I would have thought it was creepy as well. "It's okay Carly. I think it's peaceful too. I come here all the time to just forget about everything. Sometimes I talk to my dad about how my day goes and stuff."

"Okay good. You know, you can come over and talk to me and Spencer if you want. Sometimes it helps to actually have an ear to listen to your problems."

"Thanks. Maybe I'll come over tomorrow or something."

"Cool," she said. I saw her pull out her phone to check the time. "Oh shoot. Freddie, I have to go. Griffin is taking me to a movie. See ya tomorrow?"

"Sure," I said and we both stood up. We hugged briefly and I watched her walk away until she was no longer in sight. That's why she was wearing a short skirt and high heels. Every time Carly likes a guy, she always tries to make her self attractive enough for them. I don't know why that is so necessary. I think she's beautiful without make up. I sighed. I turned around and grabbed the half dozen flowers I bought for Puckett's dad from my dad's tomb and I placed them on his. I began to look around, hoping that maybe she would come over so that we could hang out a little bit. I don't know what it is about her but something about hanging out with her and talking her made me feel better. Probably because she's the only one I know whose lost her dad recently. We have that in common.

She didn't come. I began to walk away from the cemetery and walked back home, my eyes fixated on the ground. I heard someone running behind me but I didn't pay attention until I heard a scream.

"BENSON!" I turned around and I saw Puckett running towards me. She stopped in front of me as she began to catch her breath.

"Can you run fast Benson?" she asked quickly and began to look back cautiously.

"I... uh," was all I could say before she grabbed my hand and forced me to run with her. She was a FAST runner. It was hard to keep up but with all the training I've done at the fencing studio, I managed to stay a few inches behind her. I quickly looked back to see what she was running away from. I saw a lady from a distance. She was running after us and I noticed she was holding a bat in her hands. I immediately panicked. I ran closer to Puckett so that we were side by side.

"So why are we running?" I shouted.

"I'll tell you later," she shouted back. "Just keep running."

And that's what we did. We ran. It was completely frightening at first, being chased by a lady with a baseball bat in her hands but then Puckett began to laugh. I did not know why she thought that running away from a crazy woman was funny but after a while, I began to laugh with her. I've never felt such a rush go through my body like that before. Running and not knowing what was going to happen next was thrilling.

I turned back to see if I could spot the lady behind us and she was no where in sight. Puckett grabbed my hand and we ran inside an alley only to see a fence in front of us. She didn't even bother to stop. She quickly climbed the fence and hopped on the other side like it was no big deal. I was impressed. I just stood there looking at her, not knowing what to do.

"Come on Benson. Climb the damn fence," she said, looking a bit irritated.

I began to slowly climb the fence. It was extremely difficult. She made it look so easy. After a few attempts, I final made it to the other side and we began running again towards the other side of the block. When we were out of the alley, we stopped so we could catch our breaths.

"Wow," I said, breathing heavily. "That was really something."

"I know right? What a rush," she said, smiling at me. I nodded in agreement and once our breathing returned to it's normal rate, we began to walk.

"Who was that lady running after us?" I asked

"Oh you saw her?" I nodded. "Yeah that was my mom..."

"Your mom? You were running away from your mom? Why? What happened?"

"She's crazy," she responded. I began to worry. If that was her mom, did that mean that she was willing to hurt her own daughter?

"But... but she had a bat in her hands. She was going to hurt you?"

"Naw," she said calmly. "She's just crazy. I kind of pissed her off earlier and started chasing me with a bat just to scare me. She wouldn't hurt me."

"Oh okay," I said, sighing in relief though something told me that she wasn't telling the truth.

"Hey," I said and she looked up to see me. "I uh noticed that your dad's tomb doesn't have any flowers so I bought some for him. I dropped them off earlier. Consider it a thanks for the make up," I laughed, realizing how girlie that sounded coming from a guy.

"Really? I'll have to check it out later then. Thanks Benson," I smiled at her.

We began to walk. This was the first time I actually hung out with her outside of the cemetery. It felt different in a good way. I didn't even notice that we were walking past Bushwell, right across the street. I noticed Carly and Griffin holding hands as they walked towards the building. Carly noticed me and gave me a really weird look. I guess she was a little confused as to why I was walking with a girl. A girl that she doesn't even know about. I quickly shrugged it off as we completely passed the building.

After a few minutes, Puckett stopped and started staring at something across the street. "What is that?" she asked pointing at one of my favorite places in town.

"Oh that? That's the Groovy Smoothie," I answered.

"The Groovy Smoothie?" she asked, looking a little confused.

"You've never heard of it?" I asked, completely surprised.

The Groovy Smoothie was the best smoothie joint in Seattle. They make the best smoothies, burgers and fries I've ever tasted. Me and my dad used to come every weekend after a couple hours of fencing. Unfortunately, it was the only Groovy Smoothie. I always wondered why there weren't other stores across the country.

"No. Actually, I don't usually come to this part of town."

"Well then you must try some," I suggested. "They have the best smoothies."

"Ha. With what money," she scoffed. I began to feel a little sorry for her. She had this look on her face, like when a kid looses their favorite toy.

"Tell you what. Meet me here tomorrow around noon-ish and we can have a smoothie. My treat," I offered.

"Really?" she asked in disbelief. I barely believed it myself. It's not like me to just ask girls to have lunch with me because I know that they would say no.

"Well, if you want to. I'm not forcing you," I said.

"Oh... okay then. I'll see you tomorrow then," she said with a smile on her face.

"Cool," I said and we went our separate ways. As I walked back to Bushwell, I couldn't help the smile that was on my face and I didn't know why. Maybe because this was the first time I actually invited a girl to eat and she actually said YES.

* * *

**So that's chapter five. Please review and tell me what you thought about this chapter. I really really REALLY hope you liked it. It came out a lot shorter than I expected but whatever. It kind of seems like Sam and Freddie are going to go on a date but they are not. Keep in mind that Freddie still has a thing for Carly. Anyways, you will see A LOT of the Groovy Smoothie in future chapters. This was kind of an introduction to the famous smoothie place.**

**So in the next chapter, Sam and Freddie are going to hang out at the GS and there might be a little bit of drama. Muahahaha.**


	7. Chapter 6: Groovy Smoothie

**Hey everyone. I'm sorry that I took a long time to get this updated. I have good reasons. First, I got REALLY sick. Second, my computer caught a virus and I had it sent out to get it fixed that same day. The next day, I went to a Nick Jonas show for FREE so I couldn't say no haha. The rainy and cold weather only made me even MORE sick. When I got better, I went to an Honor Society meet and greet and a celebrity basketball game the next day. Yeah, I like going to a lot of celeb related events haha. After that, I just got plain lazy but I don't want to become one of those who take months to update so I forced myself to update my story. I hope you guys like it. :D**

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I was walking home alone. It sure was an interesting day and I knew it was about to get worse. I decided to stay at home this weekend despite the fact that my mom was incredibly drunk. I tried to avoid her by staying in my room but she somehow got my door to open and she walked in with a bat in her hands. She wanted to beat me with it. I had no idea how she got that bat but one thing was for sure, I was NOT going to let her hit me with that thing. I quickly ran for the door and I ran to the one place where I was at one with peace. Sadly, she ran after me.

As I ran towards the cemetery, I saw Benson walking away. His head was down. I thought that if I stayed with him, my mother would leave and I would have some time away from her. I ran to him and I noticed that she was still running after me so I grabbed him by the hand and we both ran away from her together. It was actually pretty fun having Benson there, especially since he too had a good time. When we finally lost her, we were walking around the safe part of Seattle. I never come to that part of town.

I noticed a store, The Groovy Smoothie. It looked so cool. That was when Benson asked me to have lunch with him. He seemed a bit nervous about it. Like he didn't want to be rejected or something so I said yes. He said they make the best smoothies ever so why not? So as I walked home, I couldn't help but think about what a day with Benson would be like. Sure, we've hung out before but never outside of the cemetery. I was sort of looking forward to it. Not that I liked him but this was the first time a guy has asked me to do anything since I went out with Doug. I smiled a little bit but it quickly faded. Like I said, not that I liked him or anything but I was certain it would be just two friends hanging out. When I first saw Benson after my dad's funeral, he was crying on some girl's shoulder. She was pretty and a little preppy but they seemed pretty close. It brought me to believe that she was his girlfriend or something.

Before I knew it, I was inside of my house. Surprisingly, my mom wasn't home. The house smelled horrible and I knew it was all of the alcohol. There were numerous of bottles on the floor. I picked them up, like I always do, and threw them away. My mom wasn't babysitting anymore and I always wondered how she earned all of the money she used on her alcohol. She's too old to threaten a high school nerd for money like I did. I walked into the kitchen to make myself a snack but to my luck, the fridge was empty. That was when I noticed some money on the table. I picked up the money and my eyes grew wide. I had five hundred dollars in my hands. I needed the money to survive, so I quickly stuffed the money in my pockets and I made my way out of the house.

I walked to the nearest grocery store. I was starving and it's not like my mom ever feeds me. My dad used to do all the cooking. I walked inside and grabbed all the ingredients I needed to make the perfect sandwich. Wheat bread, white cheese, lettuce, mayonnaise, mustard, cucumbers, and ham. Lost and lots of ham. I sure do love meat. I also decided to grab a lot of Fat Cakes, Peppy Colas, and beef jerky. I took advantage of all the money I found earlier since I stopped teasing the chubby nerd for money. I had enough to last me for weeks. Lucky for me, the grocery store wasn't that far from my house so I had no problem carrying all of my bags.

I entered my house and once again, I was surprised that my mom wasn't home. Usually, she's be here, calling me a useless piece of trash and how I ruined her life. I was somewhat glad she wasn't home. All of her yelling overwhelms me at times. I've come to terms that yes, I have ruined her life and yes, it is my fault my dad died. I've wanted to cry so many times but I refused to weaken myself.

I made my sandwich and boy was it delicious. I put away all of the remaining ingredients in the fridge and all of my snacks in my room. I went back downstairs and my mom still wasn't home. oddly I began to worry about her. She may be a pain to live with but she is my mom and she's pretty much all I have left now. My sister doesn't count. She's too busy living her awesome life in New York. I decided to stay in the living room and wait for my mom to come home. I worked on my homework to keep myself distracted and then I spent the rest of the night watching TV. I was exhausted but I managed to keep myself awake.

It was around one in the morning when I heard a car pull over in front of the house. I walked by the window and moved the curtains slightly so that I could see what was going on. I saw a woman come out of the car and she bent down towards the door so she could talk to the man driving the car. He handed her some money and he left. The woman turned around and she began to walk to the door. I was in disbelief. That was my own mother. She was dressed in short shorts, fish net leggings, and see through stilettos. My mother was a prostitute. I wanted to throw up. I wanted to cry at the sight. I couldn't move and I didn't notice my mom was already inside of the house.

"What are you doing up this late?" I heard my mom scream. I snapped and I turned to look at her. I was disgusted.

"I was worried about you. What are you doing mom? Is this how you're making money now? What happened to babysitting?" I asked desperately.

"Why do you care? Anyways, ever since YOU killed my husband, babysitting money just wasn't enough. At least now, I make enough for booze AND the bills," she said, sitting down on the couch. I felt a sharp pain in my chest.

"I did NOT kill my dad," I said, getting extremely irritated.

"Keep telling yourself that, little girl. This is all your fault," she said before she passed out on the couch. I made a disgusted sound and I ran to my room. I pressed my face onto my pillow and screamed as loud as I could. Why me?

I fell asleep instantly and tried to be so upset about what happened earlier.

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I woke up around nine in the morning. I was tired but I felt a little better. I smiled to myself knowing that maybe spending the day with Benson would help me escape from this hell. I barely knew this guy and he already made me feel better than anyone other boy has.

I stepped into my bathroom and took a long hot shower. I felt so relaxed afterward. I dried myself off and threw on some clothes. I decided to put a little eyeliner on, seeing as how I felt a hell of a lot better than I did the previous night. I walked downstairs and my mom was on the couch, passed out, in the same position she was when she came back home. I was so disappointed in her. Where was her self respect? I ignored her and I stepped into the kitchen. I made myself another sandwich despite the fact that I'd be with Benson in less than two hours.

In a couple of minutes, I was done with my sandwich. I took another look at my mom and I noticed a couple of bottles of beer coming from her bag. I carefully grabbed them and I placed them in my special drawer in my room. I knew it was no use hiding her alcohol. She would always just buy more but this is the only thing I could do. There was no use trying to convince her to stop everything she's doing. She'd just hurt me again. Ever since my dad died, she has been a complete mess. I sighed and I grabbed a Fat Cake before walking back downstairs.

I had about an hour left so I decided to head out and walk to the Groovy Smoothie. It's about a 40 minute walk form my house, seeing as it's all the way across town. I didn't mind the long walk though. I needed some time alone to clear my head and forget about my crazy mother. I didn't want to deal with her. The cold air hitting my face was surprisingly relaxing. Before I knew it, I was in front of the coolest looking smoothie place.

I was the first one there. I didn't see any sign of Benson. I patiently waited for him to arrive. I looked at my phone and it was a little past noon. I looked around and I noticed a sign at the front door that said "NOW HIRING." Now that is a place I wouldn't mind working at.

After a couple of minutes, I saw Benson running towards me. I laughed a little and rolled my eyes playfully.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, panting. "My mom was nagging me to be safe."

"Cool," I responded and we walked inside.

I was blown away and how COOL the Groovy Smoothie looked. The doors were shaped like giant smoothies. The whole place was surrounded by lava lamps and even the tables were shaped differently. I could get used to this place.

"So do you like it?" he asked, giving me a smile.

"Shoosh yeah," I said enthusiastically.

We walked to the counter and a goofy looking man was in front of us, waiting for us to order.

"I'll get whatever he gets," I said, pointing towards Benson. The menu was unbelievable. There were so many flavors to choose from. He decided to get two blueberry smoothies as well as two cheeseburgers and two trays of fries. My mouth watered just at the thought of all that food.

"That will be twelve dollars," said the man. Benson handed him the money and before he could get his change the man asked him a weird question.

"You want pickles? I'll sell you a whole stick for five dollars," he asked, picking up a large stick with a lot of pickles on it. I looked at him weirdly. Benson just kindly said no to him and we walked to an empty table. Actually, it was pretty empty for a Sunday afternoon. People were probably sleeping in and enjoying their last day of freedom before going back to school.

"Dig in," said Benson. "And tell me that is not the best smoothie you have ever tasted."

I took a sip of my smoothie for a couple of seconds, I felt like I was in smoothie heaven. It was absolutely delicious.

"Dude, this is the best smoothie I've ever had. You were so right about this place," I said with a big smile on my face. Everything about my crazy mother and how much my dad's death was hurting me was quickly forgotten. It felt great to actually smile with purpose.

"Told ya," he said and he began to eat his burger. In almost no time at all, I was done with my burger, fries, AND smoothie. I looked up and saw Benson looking at me, completely surprised. I probably grossed him out.

"What?" I asked, a little annoyed.

"Nothing. I've never met a girl who likes to eat so much," he said, smiling. I didn't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult.

"Is that a good thing? Are you calling me fat?" I asked, looking at my stomach. I don't consider myself fat.

"No no no. That's not what I meant. I meant that it's nice to meet a girl who isn't afraid to eat around guys. Most of the girls in my school always dress to impress and don't like it when people watch them eat."

"Oh okay," I said in a relieved tone. "So what school do you go to? Ridgeway with all those snooty chicks?"

He hesitated a little. He didn't need to answer. I already knew from his reaction that he attends that school. I hated that school. It was full of conceited girlie girls who looked down on people and cocky athletes who think they are better than anyone. I had no idea why Benson was at that school. He was far from conceited.

"Yeah, actually," he said. "What about you? What school do you go to?"

"Well, since you told me what school you go to. I guess I'll tell you. I go to Seattle High."

"Really? I heard a lot of bad things about that school. My friend lives in that area and he said that people have been mean to him," he said.

"Yeah, it's not the best school but I'm doing okay there I guess," I responded, playing the the straw on my smoothie cup.

"Well, you don't seem like a bad person to me."

"Yeah and you don't seem like some conceited bitch to me either," we both started laughing. I felt a little guilty again. I really don't consider myself much of a saint. I know I've done my fair share of bad deeds, like bullying but I didn't want to tell him that.

"You know," he began to speak again. "You've a very different person. You're not like other girls. I think that's pretty cool."

I looked at him when he said that. He was smiling. I felt my stomach do tiny little back flips. No one has ever said something like that to me. It felt strange but in a good way.

"Really?" I asked, wanting to hear him say it again because I didn't believe it myself. People do tell me I'm different but they say it in a bad way.

"Yeah," he assured me.

"Well, thanks I guess. No one has really said that to me before," I said, looking down a little.

"Well, it's true...," he stopped talking suddenly. I pulled my head up and I saw him looking at someone with a whole lot of fear.

I turned to see what he was staring at and I saw three guys walking in. One of the had blond shaggy hair and he was pretty tall. The other two were shorter and had the same hairstyle, only that they were brunettes. I turned to look at Benson again and he gulped. I was about to say something when the three guys walked up to us.

"Hey look, it's Ridgeway's biggest loser," he said teasingly then turned around to high five his buddies who were laughing at his comment. Benson didn't move. He looked down, almost as if he was waiting for them to hurt him so they could leave.

"So... who is this?" he asked, looking at me up and down. I almost gagged at the way he looked at me. "Wow, I must say, you're a pretty sexy thing. What are you doing with a nerd like him?"

Benson lifted his head to look at me. I quickly winked at him and I stood up so that I was facing the idiot hitting on me.

"So what's your name?" I asked.

"Steven. You wanna go do something? You don't need THAT," he asked, pointing at Benson.

"Hmm Steven, I see. You know what? I'd love to," I said, in a fake flirty tone before I placed my hands on his shoulders. He leaned in, closed his eyes, and puckered his lips. He thought I was going to kiss him. When he was close enough I kicked him right in the place guys should not get kicked and he fell to the ground. His eyes were closed tightly as he groaned in pain. His buddies tried to help him up but he wouldn't move.

"Come on Benson, let's go," I said and we both walked out of The Groovy Smoothie. We were silent for a while. Something about this Steven guy pissed me off. Mainly because, the scared look on Benson's face was sort of the reality check I needed. How could I tease people and not know how bad it made them feel? Did they go home and cry? Or were some of them so hurt that they'd do something stupid like hurt themselves? I had a lot on my mind.

"Hey," I heard him say, snapping me out of my thoughts. "That was pretty awesome. No one has ever stood up to Steven that way you did."

"Really? Well he was a douche. I hate sum bags like that," I responded. I took a deep sigh. "Um so is he the guy that teases you in school?"

"He is...," he said. I could tell he was upset. "I think he might hurt me even more after what happened back there."

"No worries Benson. After what I did to him, he might not touch you for a while. I'm sure he will have a hard time walking let alone put up a fight."

We both started laughing. It was great to have someone to share laughs with again. My dad was the only person I actually had a good time with and ever since he was murdered, laughs and smiles were no longer a part of my everyday routine. I know I've only known Benson for a short amount of time but he quickly made me feel a little good about myself. Like maybe I can meet people out there that won't make my life a completely mess, unlike my mother.

"So do you have anything planned for the rest of the day?" he asked.

"Nah do you?" I quickly responded.

"No and I really don't want to go home right now. What do you wanna do?"

"I don't know. I sure as hell ain't going back home right now."

We began to walk around the city with no destination in mind. It was nice to actually hang out outside of the cemetery. I felt like I made a new friend. It was weird but I couldn't complain. I've never had any real friends. My dad was my only friend but he really didn't count. He was my family.

"So... how come you avoid your mom so much? You already know mine is overprotective and drives me up the wall but what about yours?" he asked out of the blue.

What was I going to tell him? That my mom is a drunk who prostitutes herself for money? Oh and that she beats me, insults me, and blames my father's death on me? I couldn't tell him all of that stuff. It would probably scare him away and as much as I hate admitting, I didn't want him to stop talking to me. I felt as if he was the only person that understood my situation. Loosing my dad, that is.

"Um. Let's just say she's not sober. She hardly ever is...."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."

"Eh don't worry about it. I'm used to it," I said, hoping that we could move onto another topic.

"Okay. So I was wondering something. If you live all the way across town, how long did it take you get here?"

"Not that long. It took almost an hour by foot. I would drive here myself but our car is messed up. Besides, I prefer walking. It gives me more time to myself and less time away from her."

"Oh okay that makes sense," he nodded his head.

"What about you Benson? Do you drive? How do you get around this city?" I asked him.

"Same as you. I walk mostly. My mom does all the driving. My dad said that walking is better because it's good exercise."

"Cool," I responded.

We continued walking, talking about random topics. It was one subject after the other. We talked about my love for meat, his love for computers, his favorite books, and even my favorite songs. I didn't tell him that I used to write songs and that I used to play the guitar but I did tell him about some of my favorite artists. Taylor Swift is my favorite singer. Sure, her songs are a bit cheesy and cliche but every girl can relate to her music. She's sort of an inspiration. Her music gives me hope that I might find a guy that will look past all of my imperfections. She's also a great guitar player. I told him about how I'd love to see her in concert someday. He told me that he's always wanted to go to the beach but he's never had the chance. Time flies when you're having a good time with someone.

Somehow he ended up in front of the cemetery. He took out his phone to look at the time and I did the same. We have spent several hours just talking. Nothing crazy and nothing boring. We didn't go to our dad's graves. We just walked around, circling the cemetery.

"Hey, so when are you going to tell me your first name?" he asked me. I was considering telling him but I decided against it.

"Maybe some other time."

"Okay. That's fair I guess. You know, I had a good time today. We should do this more often."

I felt my heart skip a little bit. After spending the day with him, I couldn't help but feel a_ little _something towards him. I quickly shook that thought off my head. It would never happen. Not that I wanted anything to happen between us...

"Yeah..." I said softly.

"How about we text each other and have lunch again next weekend. Same time. Same place?" he asked, holding up his phone. I thought about it for a moment. If I refused to give him my name, how could I give him my number? Then again, every time I see him it's at the cemetery and I just had a good day with him outside of the place where we first met.

"Hm. Okay why not?" I said and I took his phone, clicking different numbers until my number was officially stored in his phone memory. "There ya go, Benson."

"Thanks. I'll text you later then. I have to go. I don't want my mom to have a panic attack," he half joked.

"Okay. Later," I waved my hand and walked back to my house, hoping that my mom was either passed out or out of the house.

Later that night, I was ready to go to sleep. My mom was no where to be seen and as much as she disgusted me, I was glad she was out of the house. I heard my cell phone ring and I flipped it open. I had a new text message. I laughed at the cheesy text Benson sent me. I thought that guys only sent these kind of texts to girls in chick flicks. I went to sleep with a smile on my face, despite the fact that he has a girlfriend.

_Goodnight Puckett :)..._

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**Okay so I'm not really satisfied with this chapter. Writer's block is a bitch and I'm still a little sick so I'm sorry if this isn't my best. Bleh. I still hope you like it ahaha.**

**But anyways, I hope I didn't rush things with Sam's feelings. Let's be honest, some girls tend to fall for guys a lot faster than guys fall for girls. At least that's how I saw it in my high school haha. But I'm not gonna rush their relationship. Remember, Sam thinks that Freddie has a girlfriend and they still don't know each others' first names. I still have a couple of chapter left to go before they tell each other their names. Once that happens, it will take a couple of more chapters till they start something... romantic. Lol I hope I didn't spoil it too much.**

**And what do you think about Sam's mom being a prostitute? Crazy huh? Oh and what do you think about the extended version of iSYL premiering? I'm actually not that excited about it. But iEnrage Gibby was hilarious. I loved it and even after watching it over 5 times, it still makes me laugh. Noah even replied to me on Twitter. I must admit, I had a little fangirl moment cause Gibby is one of my favorite characters. Noah is a fantastic actor.  
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**Okay, the next chapter should be a bit interesting. Why? Well because this will be the first time Carly, Freddie, AND Sam are together in the same place at the same time. YES that means that Carly and Sam will meet for the first time. There will also be a little scene between Carly and Freddie. Nothing romantic I promise. **

**So it's way past 1am and I have to get to bed. I'm going to the Valentine's Day premiere with my friends. Eeep. I'm so excited lol. Goodnight my fellow readers and PLEASE review. Reviews make me happy and a happy Steffy updates sooner. ;)  
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	8. Chapter 7: Confusion

**Hello readers. So I'm a little upset because I didn't get as many reviews on the last chapter as I'd hoped for. I get a lot of emails saying that people have added this story to their favorites/alerts but they don't review. Yeah it's upsetting cause it makes me feel like this story isn't good enough but I can't do much about it I guess. To those who reviewed, thank you so much. You guys make me feel like I'm becoming a better writer with each passing chapter. This one is dedicated to you *HUGS***

**Anyways, I hope everyone had a great day. Mine was pretty boring. In the last chapter, I said something about going to the Valentine's Day premiere. Eh it was kind of lame to be honest. I got to see Taylor Lautner up close but I'm not really a big fan of his lol. The only good thing that came about it was that I got to spend time with my friends. Yayy lol.**

**Okay enjoy! :)**

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I was sitting on the big couch in Carly's living room. Spencer wanted me to help with a sculpture and have a little bonding time as well. I couldn't blame him if he wanted to spend time just like we used to. I've been so distant from everyone lately. Half of me just didn't want to stay at home with my mom or stay at Carly's listening about how hot Griffin is. The other half of me just wanted to spend time with Puckett. When I'm with her, I am worry free and I always have a great time. Like the day we went to the Groovy Smoothie. The way she stood up to Steven and the way she wasn't afraid of him was pretty amazing. I couldn't even give him a glare without getting pushed to the floor.

I agreed to go to Carly's straight after school. That meant I wouldn't see Puckett but luckily, she gave me her number. We've been texting a lot lately, especially those days we don't see each other. I don't know what it is but something about spending time with her felt right. I've never met a girl like her before. She's so different from all the girls that I go to school with. She tells it like it is. Her style is unique. She has kind of a tomboy look but not the point where people confused her for a guy. It works for her and she still manages to look... pretty.

Carly was in the kitchen making sandwiches for me, her, and Wendy. Carly asked Wendy to sleep over since it was a Friday. They didn't have to worry about getting their homework done on time. I could hear them giggling. They were probably talking about Griffin. I rolled my eyes at the thought. I'm happy for Carly, I really am but he's not some kind of sex god that should be praised over and over again.

When the girls were done, they came over to the couch and sat next to me. Me being in the middle of course. Carly placed a tray stacked with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the table in front of us and Wendy handed us each a can of Peppy Cola.

"So when is Spencer coming back?" I asked Carly before taking a bite out of my sandwich.

"He should be here any minute," she said, checking her watch.

"So Freddie," Wendy turned her body to face me. "How have you been? Carly said it's been almost two months since your dad passed away."

"Um... I've been okay," I said. I didn't know what else to tell her. It's not like me and Wendy are close.

"Oh okay. I know me and you don't talk a lot but I really admire you for staying strong. You can definitely count on me for anything," she smiled.

"Thanks Wendy. It means a lot."

"Okay, why don't we watch some movies. I have A Walk to Remember and The Notebook. Which one should we watch first?" Carly held up two DVD's in her hands. I groaned lightly. I was no where near interested in watching those movies.

"Why Carly?" I whined.

"Because, Dear John will come out in theaters next February. We want to watch all of the movies based on Nicholas Sparks' books. Then we are going to read the books and compare," she said cheerfully.

"Don't forget about The Last Song," added Wendy.

"Oh of course. How could I forget," laughed Carly. "So which one?"

Wendy pointed towards A Walk to Remember. Carly placed the disc in the DVD player and sat back down next to me. Luckily, just as the movie was about to start, Spencer entered the loft with two bag fulls of supplies. I stood up and helped him carry one of his bags. The girls didn't seem to notice that Spencer arrived or that I wasn't sitting with them anymore. They were too into the movie.

We made our way to the third floor of the apartment where Spencer keeps all of his sculptures (A/N since there is no iCarly, I figured I'd use the studio for something else.) I loved how artistic the place was. I felt like I was in a McDonalds Play Place from all the colors and different sculptures.

"Okay Spencer, what are we making?" I asked, placing the bag I was holding on a nearby table.

"Well Freddo," he started. "I want to dedicate this sculpture to you. Just tell me how you are feeling and I shall sculpt it. I think this is a great way for you to let it all out."

The confused look on my face was obvious. I don't understand why he wanted me to 'let it all out.' "What do you mean Spence?"

"Well, ever since what happened to your dad you've been sort of distant. I want you to know what you're not alone and this is a great way for you to express yourself," he grinned.

"Oh... okay then," I mumbled. I didn't say anything else. I didn't know what to tell him exactly.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"How are you feeling?"

I didn't know how to answer that question. I didn't know how to feel. Since my dad's accident, I've been in a whirlwind of emotions. Depressed, lonely, unloved, and unattractive. Yet I felt happy, liked, cheerful, and amazing all at the same time. It was so confusing, my head began to throb.

"Honestly Spencer? I don't know how to feel right now. So many things are going on right now, it's too crazy for me," I breathed out, sitting on the chair right behind the table. He walked towards me and patted my back.

"You wanna talk about it kiddo?" he asked, trying to comfort me. "Sometimes it's good to talk instead of keeping it all bottled up."

He was right. I have been keeping it all bottled. My suffocating and overprotective mother, the pain of seeing Carly with another guy, all the teasing that I go through in school, and whatever feelings I have towards Puckett. A girl I barely know has so much affect on me right now and it's so overwhelming.

"I'm just a little stressed. My mom is driving me crazy and you know Carly is dating that guy. Aside from that, people still tease me in school," I confessed. I didn't mention Puckett yet. I felt like it was too early to talk about her to anyone.

"Look Freddie, your mom is just concerned. She doesn't want to loose you so unexpectedly. And I know you have a thing for Carly. I know it hurts but in time you're gonna heal. Maybe she's not the one for you. Life works in mysterious ways. Look at me and Vanessa. I never thought I'd be with a girl like that," he chuckled. He was right. Him and Vanessa are completely different. Spencer is like the older version of me. He got teased in high school and he got called a nerd on a daily basis. He met Vanessa at the community college. She works there as a dance instructor. Vanessa is like the older version of Carly. She's genuinely sweet and she was popular in high school because she was captain of the cheer leading squad.

"So true," I laughed.

"And about those bullies. All I can say is that if you surround yourself with people you love, all that teasing will only make you stronger. I know it sounds really cheesy and stupid but it's true," he said. Somehow, I felt a little better.

"Thanks Spencer. I needed that. So what do you wanna sculpt?"

"Okay", he said and took out a bunch of different colored tubs of clay. "I am going to layer all of these together into a ball then all we're gonna do is hit it with a bat. It's gonna look so cool when it's done. If you want we can add decorations on it. I have glitter, beads, and feathers. Carly wanted me to make something colorful and girlie."

"Sounds good," I responded and Spencer grabbed two bats, one for him and for me.

"Okay Freddo. Ready, set, GO!" he screamed happily thought I couldn't be as happy as he was. When I saw that ball, I could only see a head. A head without a face. Just the head of the drunk driver who killed my dad. I pounded on that head... HARD. I pounded on it over and over, not hearing Spencer's cheers. After a few minutes, I grew tired and I stopped. My breathing became heavy. I closed my eyes, trying to force back the tears that threatened to fall from them.

"Wow Freddie, you really hit that thing hard. If I would have known better, I would've thought you were angry at the ball," he laughed. I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah... funny," I said, trying to catch my breath.

"Well this looks pretty good. Now all we have to do is decorate it."

"Yeah Spencer about that. I think I'm just gonna go home. I'm really tired. It's been a long week," I smiled at him weakly. "Thanks for everything."

"Aw. Okay, no problem Fredwardo," he said while ruffling my hair. I laughed a little before I left the apartment.

I entered my apartment, relieved that my mom wasn't home. She wasn't working as much since my dad died but seeing her out of the house is great not. I could be by myself without her nagging me. I threw myself onto my bed and pulled out my phone. I decided to text Puckett.

_Hey Puckett. How was your day?_

I rested my head on my pillow and I closed my eyes, waiting for her to reply. I was so tired, I nearly fell asleep but the ridiculous strong vibration of my phone scared me. I piked it up to read what the text message said.

**Okay I guess. Yours?**

_Same. I haven't been to the cemetery all week. I'm gonna go tomorrow. Meet me there around noon?_

**See ya there.**

_Cool. I'll see ya tomorrow then. I'm gonna take a nap. I'm tired._

**Night... sleeping beauty lmao jk.**

I laughed at that last text message she sent me. I set my phone on my desk and Instantly fell asleep.

* * *

I woke up around ten in the morning to the horrible sound of my mom vacuuming. I groaned before I sat up, rubbing my eye. I quickly brushed my teeth, showered and made my way to the kitchen.

"Morning mom," I said and gave her a hug.

"Good morning son. How are you today?" she asked with a concerned look on her face.

"I'm good. Just a little tired. I slept a little too much I think," I said, rubbing my aching head. "Do you have any pain killers?"

She hesitated a little bit. "Uh no but here drink some orange juice. I made you oatmeal," she said handing me a glass of orange juice and bowl of oatmeal. I really didn't like her oatmeal but I ate it anyways. I was starving.

"Thanks mom. I'm gonna go visit my dad. I haven't been there all week. School has been keeping me busy. I'll talk to you later," I said and I quickly made my way out the door, not wanting to hear my mom lecture me about staying safe and talking to strangers.

I arrived at the cemetery and to my surprise, Puckett was already there. I heard her say the words "I miss you." again. I've been hearing her say that a lot since the day I met her. I wonder if she trusted me enough to tell me how her dad died and how she is handling things now. I decided not to ask.

"Hey," I greeted her with a smile.

"Sup?" she said and sat down in front of her dad's grave. I sat down next to her.

"Wow it's only been a week and I already feel like it's been weeks since I was last here. School has been keeping me busy," I said.

"Really? What do you do that keeps you busy?"

"I uh. I'm in the AV club. I'm trying to find way to fund raise money for a field trip this spring but I have so much in my head, I have absolutely no idea what to do," I sighed. I expected her to laugh.

"You should sell candy or something. I'd buy some," she suggested. I was mildly surprised. I expected her to laugh her butt off but I know she wouldn't do that. She's probably the only girl who doesn't mind me being a dork.

"Hm. I've never thought of that. Thanks," I smiled at her. We began to talk about random subjects when I saw a familiar figure coming our way. As she came closer, I noticed that it was Carly. She had a couple of flowers in her hands.

"Crap," I cursed to myself. She approached us and she gave me a weird look.

"Hey F-" I cut her off.

"CARLY," I said loudly. "Hi. Um can I speak to you over there?"

I led her a few feet away from Puckett so she wouldn't hear us. "What are you doing here?" I whispered loudly

"I just wanted to see if you were feeling better because Spencer said you weren't feeling well yesterday. I went to your house but your mom said you were here so I came to visit you. Who is that?" she whispered back, pointing at Puckett.

"She's a friend of mines. Look can you please do me a favor, if you stick around please don't call me by Freddie. She doesn't know my name. We're kind of building up to that," I begged.

"What? Why? That is so weird."

"Please Carly. Just don't call me anything. Okay?"

"Fine! But we're going to talk about this later. By the way, your little chick friend is leaving."

"What?" I turned and Puckett was indeed walking away. I ran after after.

"Hey where are you going?" I asked grabbing her arm lightly so she wouldn't go.

"I'm going home. I don't want to be a third wheel. I'll talk to you some other day Benson," she said before she began to walk away. But I stopped her.

"Look, Carly is a really nice girl. She's not like most of the girls that go to my school. She won't stay long anyways," I assured her.

We began to walk back to our dad's graves. Carly was standing in front of my dad's, placing the flowers on the ground. She turned to look at us, smiling at Puckett.

"Puckett, this is Carly," Both girls shook hands and Carly gave me another weird look.

"Uh Puckett? Is that your last name? What's your real name?" she asked her.

"You don't need to know," she answered casually.

"Oh okay. So how long have you two known each other?"

"Um almost a month I think," she said.

"Yeah almost a month," I answered Carly as well.

"Well Puckett, it was nice to meet you. Maybe I'll see you around," she smiled at her and then turned to me. "And you, come to my house afterward, We have to talk."

With that, she walked out of the cemetery and back to Bushwell. I sighed deeply and sat back down. Puckett sat next me.

"Well your girlfriend seems nice...." What did she just say? She thought Carly was my girlfriend. That's probably why she walked away earlier.

"You think Carly's my girlfriend?" I almost laughed. No way would Carly ever go out with a guy like me. As much as it hurt, I had to face the truth.

"Isn't she?"

"Nah. Carly's my neighbor. She has a boyfriend anyways. Griffin," I answered, looking down towards the ground. "What made you think she was my girlfriend?"

I looked at her for a moment. I could have sworn a saw a little pink on her cheeks but it was probably just my imagination.

"Well... the day of my dad's funeral, I saw you two together so I kind of assumed she was your girlfriend."

"Oh I see. I was really depressed that day. Carly's the only girl that goes to my school and actually talks to me. She's a great friend and I really needed a shoulder to cry on that day. Besides, Carly would never date someone like me."

"What makes you say that?" I took a deep breath.

"I'm a nerd. She would never date me...," I turned my head so that she wasn't looking at me. I must have looked pathetic.

"Do you like her?" she asked seriously. This wasn't like our normal conversations where we'd joke around. I could tell she was being dead serious.

"Well...," I didn't want to tell her about my crush on Carly. I'm sure girls don't like hearing guys talk about other girls just as much as I hate it when Carly talks about Griffin.

"Be honest Benson. Do you like her or not?"

"Okay. I've had a thing for her for a while, but I'm over it," I half lied. Yes, for some reason, my crush on Carly was slowly fading but it was still there. I just didn't want to tell her that. I don't know why I decided to lie.

"Well I'm sorry.. you know... if she hurt you." She stood up and followed. We began to walk out of the cemetery quietly. It began to snow.

"It's okay. I'll live," I said. As we walked, I looked around me. There were Christmas decorations everywhere and I didn't even notice them. I guess I was wrapped up in all of this stress to even realize that Christmas was only a week away. My mom usually goes crazy, trying to make each Christmas perfect with a big tree and many decorations. We didn't even have a tree this year. She probably wasn't in the holiday spirit.

"Hey so Christmas is next weekend. What do you have planned?"

"Oh shit really? I completely forgot. I'm not doing anything," she said flatly.

"Really? How come?" I asked.

"Well, now that my dad's gone, it's just me and my mom and I don't want to spend Christmas with her crazy ass," she chuckled a little bit, trying to not sound upset but I could tell she was.

"I feel your pain. Hey um... why don't you and I hang out a little bit on Christmas? We could go to the Starbucks across from the Groovy Smoothie," I suggested. I really did wanted to spend more time with her and change it up a bit. This would be my first Christmas without my dad and it wouldn't hurt to spend it with someone who recently lost theirs too.

"You don't mind?" she asked. She a little sad expression on her face.

"Of course not," I smiled at her and she smiled back

* * *

After spending the afternoon with Puckett, I walked back to Bushwell. I was really nervous because I knew Carly was going to play twenty questions with me and ask me about Puckett. I'm surprised she didn't ask me the day she first saw us together when we were running away from her mom. I entered the building, my head was covered in snow. Lewbert saw me and yelled me about not getting snow on his lobby. I rolled my eyes and took the elevator that lead me to Carly's living room.

I stepped into Carly's apartment and she was sitting on the couch reading a book and eating some cookies. I sat next to her and she placed a bookmark on her book before she closed it and placed it on the table.

"Hey Carly," I greeted her, completely unprepared for what she was going to tell me.

"Hey Freddie. So that Puckett girl. She's very... interesting."

"Yeah..." I whispered.

"You know I saw you two last weekend after my date with Griffin. Why didn't you tell me you were hanging out with someone that none of us probably don't know?" she asked with a little hurt in her tone. She probably felt a little betrayed because she is one of my closest friends after all.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I guess I kind of just wanted to hang out with someone who is going through the same stuff as I am," I confessed.

"What do you mean? How did you even meet her?"

"It's a long story. Basically, the day I went back to school I decided to visit my dad at the cemetery. I saw her there next to my dad's grave and I noticed that she had a couple of cuts on her arms so I helped her clean them. Then I offered her some snacks. Her dad's grave is right next to mine so sometimes when I go to the cemetery, I see her there and we just ended up talking. We've been hanging out and texting too," I answered her.

"Really? Well that's nice that you found a girl but that doesn't explain why you two don't know each others' names but you have each others' phone numbers," she eyed me suspiciously. Carly was so nosy.

"Okay so I think she has trust issues. She doesn't really tell me much about her life except that she has a crazy mom and that she goes to Seattle High. I'm hoping that as time goes by, I will gain her trust and we can become closer friends."

"Oh okay that makes sense... kind of. So why do you care so much about her? You've only known each other for a couple weeks right?"

"That's true Carly but I feel like she's the only one I can relate to right now. Both of our dad's died recently. She doesn't pressure me to open up and I don't pressure her. It's just nice to sometimes escape everyone's pity and just enjoy ourselves. You know what I'm saying?"

"Oh I know what you're saying," she said while giving me a devilish smile. "You like her huh?"

"Wait what?" I was completely surprised when she asked me that. First Puckett asked me if I had a thing for Carly and now Carly was asking me if I had a thing for Puckett.

"Admit it Freddie. You like her, you like her, you like her," she poked me in the stomach repeatedly.

"Okay okay. So maybe I have a little thing for her," I confessed. I quickly covered my mouth. Did I just say that?

"Oh my gosh Freddie. That's is so cute," she squealed and started doing a happy dance.

"No it's not. She probably doesn't even like me," I whined.

"Why would you say that?"

"Because! Girls don't see me that way... you didn't."

"Oh I'm sorry Freddie," she gave me a small hug. "You know I love you like a brother but me and that girl are completely different. You never know. Maybe she likes you back."

"I'll believe it when I see it," I said softly and stood up.

"I'm going to go home. I'll talk to you later Carly."

"Bye Freddie," she responded and resumed reading her book.

I entered my apartment and walked into my room. I buried my face into my pillow trying to process everything that happened these past two days. I like Carly but I also admitted to her that I have a thing for Puckett, which I do. I happen to think she is a great girl.

What am I going to do?

* * *

**Wooo there you go. That was the longest chapter yet. Yayyy. So Freddie finally admits that he likes Sam. Like I said in the last chapter, I will not be rushing their relationship. Both of them are JUST starting to realize that they are both in like with each other.**

**Okay so in the next chapter, Sam and Freddie are going to spend part of Christmas together. What will happen? I actually do not know that myself lol. But I do know that after the Christmas chapter, I will speed up time a little. Only by like three weeks because I don't want to write about what everyone did for their winter break haha. Also in the chapter after the Christmas one, Sam and Freddie will have a small fight. I think you guys will like it.**

**Please remember to REVIEW. Thanks.**

**Ps. It's Friday here in the West Coast. Are you guys watching the extended version of iSYL? I don't think I'll be watching it. If you do watch it, please contact me on Twitter, Formspring, Myspace, or Facebook and let me know how it was. Thank you very mucho. :D**

**Pss. It's almost Valentine's Day or should I say Singles Awareness Day! Sadly, I'm single and have no Valentine which is kind of depressing. But anyways, I really hope you all have a good V-Day whether you're spending it with your lover or your friends. 33  
**


	9. Chapter 8: Christmas

**Hey everyone, thanks A LOT for reviewing. I didn't get as many as I'd hoped for but that's okay. :)**

**I wanted to talk a little about iDavid. I know I said I'm going to work on a sequel but it might take a while till it's up simply because I want to focus on this story and I have another story in the works that I'm positive y'all will like.**

**So this is the Christmas chapter. I wanted to write something about New Year's too but I decided against it. This is a really cute Seddie filled chapter (minus the sad Sam/Mrs. Puckett moment) so I'm sure it's gonna make you smile hehehe. :D**

* * *

I completely forgot about Christmas. I spent so much time in my own self pity that I didn't bother to notice all of the decorations around my neighborhood. Not that they were any good. Some of the lights were out and they were very cheap. But they still had Christmas spirit. I was scared, not that I'd admit it to anyone. This was my first Christmas without my dad and I didn't know what to expect from my mother. For all I know she could spend Christmas on a sleazy motel with some old man, or two. I was on my bed thinking of my sister. She's the only family I have besides my mother.

I took my phone out from my pocket and dialed Melanie's number. It ringed a few times before she picked up.

"Hello?" she answered, her squeaky girlie voice made my cringe.

"Hey it's me," I said, taking my hair and twirling it between my fingers.

"Hey Sam. This is weird, you usually never call me," said Melanie.

"Well, I have to ask you something."

"Sure what is it?" she asked.

I took a deep breath. "Are you coming home for Christmas? You usually come one or two weeks earlier."

"Oh... Sam, have you talked to mom?" she asked, the tone in her voice was different. It was serious.

"Uh no. I barely talk to her," I said flatly, with no emotion.

"I met someone in the beginning of the year. He lives here in New York and I agreed to spend Christmas with his family. You're not upset are you?"

I was pissed. First she couldn't come to my dad's funeral because her stupid school wouldn't let her and now she decided to not come home for Christmas? Every time I actually need her to be here with me, she doesn't come. My face became hot with anger.

"No of course not Melanie," I said, my voice dripping in sarcasm. "Have a Merry fucking Christmas in New York with your perfect boyfriend and your perfect life."

I hung up on her before she could answer. How could she do this to me? Did she not feel bad about anything that has happened these past two months? She's probably too caught up in her fancy boarding school life to pay any attention to us.

I stepped out of my room and walked downstairs. I heard the sound of vomiting coming from the hallway bathroom. I could never get used to my mom's alcoholism. I entered the living room and I found a couple of one hundred dollar bills on the couch. I quickly stuffed them into my pocket. I was running out of money and I needed it.

I walked to the kitchen for a snack and I heard the toilet flush. My mom stepped out, grabbing the half empty bottle of beer that was standing in front of the couch. I looked at her carefully, hoping that she wouldn't notice the missing money. Unfortunately she did notice.

"Sam? Where the hell is the money that I had here on the couch?" she approached me, her eyes beamed with hatred and anger.

"I have no idea," I said, backing away from her. "I don't touch your stuff."

"Really? This isn't the first time my money goes missing," she said, getting dangerously closer to me.

"Maybe you were just being careless."

"CARELESS?" she screamed and grabbed a handful of my hair, pulling me down towards the ground. A small screamed escaped my mouth from the pain.

"You're calling me careless you little bitch?" she screamed in my ear. "Let me see your pockets."

She started going through my pockets and I tried to shove her hand away but somehow she managed to get all of my money from my pockets. She pushed my head away from her, letting go of my hair in the process. I sat there on the kitchen table, rubbing my throbbing head with my hand.

"I knew it. This money isn't yours. How dare you take my money without my permission huh?" she kicked my thighs hard and I tried to crawl away from her but she grabbed my legs and dragged me towards her. She started kicking me repeatedly and I was powerless. All I could do was roll myself into a tight ball and endure the horrible pain from her vicious kicks.

"That'll teach to never touch my shit again," she said and kicked me one last time, really hard. I laid there, in the middle of the kitchen with my eyes shut tight. A couple of seconds later, I didn't feel my mom's kicks so I stood up and looked around. She was gone.

I ran back to my room and I locked the door. I turned on my radio and changed the station until Ke$ha's "Tik Tok" started playing. I turned the volume all the way up and I threw myself onto my bed, burying my head in my pillow. I screamed, loud, and the pillow plus the music that was blasting from my radio drowned my screams. I screamed as loud as I could, letting all of my anger out.

I sat up and turned down the volume to a more enjoyable level and laid back on my bed, thinking of what I did to deserve a life like this. This was probably Karma for all of the bad things I've done in the past. All the bullying, bad mouthing my teachers, and stealing. Karma was biting me in the ass really hard. I wouldn't mind if I got into a bad accident, if my arm broke, or if I got suspended. But this? Loosing my dad and living with an abusive, alcoholic mother was more than enough punishment. I was slowly loosing hope. The hope of finding a light in this pitch black tunnel I call my life. A never ending tunnel with no way out. I felt trapped in a world of misery and nothing could help me escape...

* * *

Christmas was only one day away and there was only one thing that made me look forward to it and that was Benson. Sure, I was incredibly pissed that my sister couldn't make it and that I would probably get ditched by my crazy mother but Benson was the one person that made me look forward to anything.

I smirked at the thought of him. At the thought that he didn't have a girlfriend and I didn't feel so bad about spending so much time with him. The girl that I thought was his girlfriend is Carly. She looks just like the rest of the preppy Ridgeway girls but something about her made me like her a little. She seemed a little weirded out because I wouldn't tell her my name but she still seemed pleased to meet me. She was like Benson in a way. They weren't afraid of me and that was something that made me happy.

I spent a couple of days locked up in my room, not wanting to talk to anyone, except for Benson of course. We'd text and one time he even called me and he talked about how his mom got angry because he came home past 6 at night. I didn't tell him about my mom hitting me or that she prostituted herself for money but I did tell him that she did say horrible things to me and that I'd hide her alcohol when she wasn't home.

I walked downstairs for my afternoon snack and just like every day, my mom was sitting on the couch, drinking Smirnoff. I don't even know if she remembers where her room is. She's always on the couch.

Slowly, I approached her.

"M-mom?" I stuttered. I was honestly scared to even talk to her because I didn't want her to hurt me.

"What do you want?" she slurred her words as she took a big gulp of her alcohol.

"I was just wondering. I uh... what are we going to do for Christmas?" she laughed.

"We? I'm spending Christmas with my girlfriends. You can go do whatever you want for all I care," she continued to drink her Smirnoff.

I shook my head disappointedly and I walked back to my room.

I felt my phone vibrating. I flipped it open and I smiled. It was a text from Benson.

_Hey Puckett. How was your day? _

Our conversations always started out with him asking how my day was. I would reply with a simple answer but he would get into a lot of details. I guess he trusted me that much.

**The usual. My mom got drunk and she yelled at me for no reason.**

I clicked the Send button and I waited for his reply. I noticed a notebook across the room. It wasn't the same notebook I used to write songs but I wanted to write on it so bad. I wanted to write a song and play my guitar. It was pure agony not having my guitar with me but I resisted. It was going to take a while to get used to not playing and writing. I felt my phone vibrate again.

_I'm sorry about that. Today, I helped Carly's brother with a project. It was okay. Better than being with my mom I guess, lol. So, what are you going to do for Christmas after we hang out?_

**Nothing. My mom is going out so I'll be stuck at home. Pretty fun huh? What about you?**

_Well Carly wants us to have dinner with her family since it's just me and my mom now. She's undecided. I kind of don't want to go. They will just nag me and ask me if I'm okay. But I have our hang out to look forward to._

I could feel my cheeks getting hot from the last text he sent me. Was he really looking forward to hanging out with me as much as I was looking forward to it?

**Well I'm looking forward to it too...**

_Great. Well my mom wants me to help her with the dishes so I'll see you tomorrow. Don't forget, meet me at the Starbucks across the Groovy Smoothie around 1. :D_

I closed my phone and stared at the ceiling. I had no idea what to expect on Christmas day. I'm sure it wasn't going to be like the ones before my dad died.

We always had a small artificial tree. Melanie always decorated it and she actually made it look good. My mom wasn't so crazy. She was pleasant to have around. The most she'd drink would be two glasses of wine. My dad always bought us presents, whether they were simple or expensive. He said that it's the thought that counts. My mom always cooked an amazing dinner with lost of ham, my favorite. This was my first Christmas without my dad. It was my first Christmas without Melanie and my first Christmas without my mom. And as much as she disappoints me, I wanted to spend time with her. Abusive or not. I missed her old self. The one that babysat for a living and the most she'd drink was one or two beers a week.

I spent the whole day thinking of everything. Life in general.

As early as 9pm, I feel asleep. I was emotionally drained.

* * *

I woke up and this was the first time that I woke up with a smile on my face. As upset as I was about spending Christmas night alone, I still had SOMETHING to look forward to.

I got up and showered. I decided to get into the spirit of Christmas and wear something red. I wore a simple white long sleeve shirt, a red hoodie, black jeans, and black and red sneakers. I looked like I was matching too much but I actually liked it that way. I fixed my hair so that it was a bit curlier and I decided on putting on a little bit of eyeliner. I looked at myself in the mirror and I was impressed. I didn't look like I was trying too hard to impress someone. I simply looked like Sam Puckett, with bluer eyes. That's the one thing I liked about my eyeliner. It made my eyes pop and my eyes are probably the only thing I like about myself.

I dug my hand into my backpack, trying to find some cash. I tried to stretch all of my money as much as I could but it was impossible. I like to eat, A LOT and the money just didn't last long as I wanted it too. Pulled out a twenty dollar bill. That's it? I looked through all of my things and I found nothing. All I had was a twenty.

I walked out of my room and I sneaked my way into my mom's room. Her room was a mess. I know my room is messy but hers is just ridiculous. It smelled disgusting. Like alcohol mixed with some other smell i couldn't identify. I looked through her drawers but all I could find were bottles of vodka, thongs, and lots of skirts. I walked towards her messy bed. I lifted the covers to see if I could find some cash but all I found was a big white stain in the middle of the bed. I gagged. My mom probably invited the men she slept with over to our house while I'm at school. Disgusting.

I didn't find anything but I did grab some of her alcohol and I stuffed them into my drawer. I wonder if my mom suspected anything about me hiding her drinks. She went crazy psycho on me when she found out about me taking her money. I don' think it mattered to her much because she could always just have more sex and buy more alcohol. I had no idea why I kept hiding her alcohol. Maybe because part of me wants her to stop.

I made my way towards the living room, hoping that maybe my mom had enough heart in her to actually wish me a Merry Christmas or to try and cook something for the both of us. To my disappointment, she was gone. She didn't even bother to clean the place up like always. I didn't want to clean up either. I just picked up the empty bottles of beer on the floor and threw them away. I looked around the room to see if I could find some money but I didn't.

I found some cereal in the kitchen but no milk. I took the box over to the couch and ate the cereal dry. I turned on the tv and decided to watch something until it was time to meet Benson. I decided to watch music videos. One of my favorite videos was on. Seventeen Forever by Metro Station. (A/N I am listening to this song right now. It's one of my all time favs. :D) This song somehow managed to put a smile on my face. The video was intriguing as well. Going to a carnival at night seemed incredibly fun. If only I had the money and a guy to with...

After watching a couple of music videos, I looked at my phone and I had an hour left so I walked out of the house and made my way to Starbucks.

* * *

I couldn't deny how nervous I was. I wasn't a complete mess but I was nervous because over the month that I've known Benson, I grew to have a little something for him. I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know whether I was going to have an awesome time with him or if it was going to turn into a complete disaster.

I walked past the Groovy Smoothie and I noticed that the "Now Hiring" sign was still there. Seriously, if I could, I'd apply in a heartbeat but no one would hire me anyways.

It was really cold outside and it was snowing. I quickly walked into the Starbucks and I shook off all of the snow that landed on my head. I looked around and there were a lot of people inside, trying to get warm but I quickly spotted Benson sitting next to the window by himself.

I sat down in the chair in front of him but he didn't turn to look at me. He seemed like he was in deep thought.

"Yo, Benson" I snapped my fingers and he flinched. I laughed.

"Hey when did you get here?" he smiled.

"Right now. What were you doing, daydreaming?" I asked.

"Yeah I guess you can say that," he said, crossing his arms on the table. "So tell me, what do you want to drink? I'm buying."

My eyes widened slightly. I didn't expect him to offer to buy me anything but I can't refuse free drinks especially now that I'm running out of money.

"Surprise me," I said and he stood up. He took quite a long time because the line was crazy long.

He came back with two drinks and a small brown bag in his hands. He placed my drink right tin front of me.

"Here. One vanilla coffee for you and one for me," he smiled and began to sip on the hot beverage. I grabbed my cup and had a small taste of the vanilla coffee he bought me.

"Mm. This is really good Benson," I said and began to sip more on my drink.

"It's amazing huh? This one is my favorite," he said. He put his cup down and grabbed the bag that was in the middle of the table. He pulled out two brownies. "Here. I bought us some brownies. I don't know if you like brownies but Carly said that ALL girls love chocolate so I thought I'd get this."

I chuckled a little. It's true. I love chocolate. I took the brownie from his hands and took a big bite.

"This is so good. Holy crap," I said and took another big bite. He laughed. "Hey don't laugh," I said playfully.

"Sorry," he continued laughing. "I know how much you love to eat. I have to ask you something."

"What?" I said, finishing my brownie and then taking a sip of my coffee.

"How do you stay so thin? It seriously amazes me."

"I have no clue Benson."

"So...," he said, instantly making me feel awkward.

"So...?"

"So I think it kind of sucks that you have to spend Christmas night alone. I got you something," he said and reached into his pockets.

"What?"

"Merry Christmas," he said and handed me a small box. I opened it and inside was a thick bracelet made out of embroidery string. It was black and blue and it had my last name on it. I stared at it in awe. It was simple but it was perfect.

"I made it myself," he smiled at me proudly. Okay, I thought it was kind of cheesy that a guy made me a bracelet but a part of me thought it was absolutely... cute? It felt so weird admitting that to myself.

"Wow, this is awesome. How did you make this?" I asked, slipping the bracelet on. It fit perfectly.

"My mom taught me how to make them. It didn't take long to make. She taught me when I was little and she used to force me to make them with her as a form of bonding," he said, air quoting the word 'bonding.'

"Well thanks, I really wasn't expecting this," I said, staring at the bracelet. Guilt suddenly flashed over me. He got me a great present and I had nothing for him.

"I don't have anything for you in return," I looked down.

"Don't even worry about that Puckett," he smiled at me and I smiled back. "So you really like it?"

"I really do."

"Good. Wanna go for a walk? It's getting a little stuffy in here." I nodded and we walked out of the Starbucks.

Somehow we always end up walking by the cemetery which doesn't bother me at all. But on Christmas Day, I didn't want to be there.

"Hey why don't we go to the park? Going to the cemetery on Christmas is kind of depressing don you think?" I suggested.

"You're right. Let's go," he said and we ran to the park. The whole city was covered in snow.

"I really love snow," I confessed, grabbing a handful of it and forming it into a ball.

"Really? How come?" he asked, looking at the snow covered park.

"Because I can do this," I smirked and threw the snowball right at him. I must have thrown it a bit hard because he fell right on his ass.

"Puckett!" he screamed. I saw him picking up some snow. "Oh you are so gonna get it."

I laughed and began to run from him. He threw a snowball at me and it hit my head. I picked up more snow and gave him an evil smirk. I threw a snowball at his forehead and he threw one back. We ran all around the park, throwing snowballs at each other. I really don't remember the last time I had that much fun with someone.

I was exhausted so I threw myself onto the ground. I was flat on my back and he joined me by lying next to me.

"Hey Benson," I propped myself on my elbows so that I could look down at him. I smiled at him. "Thanks."

"For what?" he sat up so that he could look at me.

"Well for everything. For treating my cuts, for sharing your snacks with me, taking me to the Groovy Smoothie, and for today. I really appreciate it," I looked down ad I could feel the blush forming on my cheeks.

"I should be thanking you," he said. I was confused.

"What? Why?"

"Because you don't treat me like everyone else. You don't pick on me like others so at my school and you don't nag me, asking me if I'm okay or if I need someone to talk to," he stood up and I followed.

I grinned at him. I didn't know he felt that way. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Apparently, it was ringing.

"Hello? Hey mom. Nothing happened to me. I just went to get some coffee! Huh? Okay FINE," he screamed and shoved his phone back into his pockets.

"Hey I have to go. My mom wants me to help Carly with dinner. We're having dinner with them after all," he gave me a apologetic look.

"Oh... it's okay. Thanks again. I'll see you later," I stood there, not wanting to turn around.

"You too," he said and we both got closer to each other. I felt his arms around my shoulders and I wrapped mines around his waist. He was pretty tall.

"Merry Christmas Puckett," he let go of me and I waved goodbye.

I turned around and began to walk back home, with a big smile on my face.

* * *

**Yayy haha what a cute ending huh? Sam is starting to like Freddie. Too bad that she doesn't know he has a little thing for her as well and vice versa. I hope that wasn't too rushed. And I hope that the scene between Sam and her mom wasn't too depressing. I know it's really sad that Sam has to go through that but things do get better, depending on how you'll look at it later on. XD**

**Next chapter, Sam and Freddie get into some sort of fight. Oooohhh. It will be a pretty big chapter for the both of them. I can't wait to start typing it up.**

**Okay I wanted to talk about my other story idea. I want to write a Seddie story where Carly and Freddie get back together after he gets his casts removed. Sam is in love with him but she doesn't want to tell him because he is dating his best friend. Meanwhile, Pete returns to Seattle after spending a semester in California. What happens when Pete and Sam get back together? What happens when Freddie gets bored with Carly and starts noticing Sam? What happens when Freddie get jealous? I know what happens ;) muahaha.**

**So yeah, PLEASE review and tell me what you think of this chapter and my new fanfic idea. I want to get to at lease 60 reviews. I'll still update as soon as I can whether I get those reviews or not. :D**


	10. Chapter 9: Two Sides To Every Story

**So can I say that you all are freaking AMAZING? Thank you so much for getting me more reviews than I expected. So I wanted give those who reviewed the last chapter a shout out. Thank you SO much discostick0shalala, dana, SeddieISAllThat, horserider13, seddieluv, Flutter360, Bleach Munky, The Laugher1234, Lanter, and deviocity.**

**I love you all :D**

**Here is the next chapter. I think you will love the ending. There will be a fight but it won't be too serious.**

* * *

It's been about three weeks since winter break. It was good to stay away from school for a while and just enjoy myself as much as I can. I spent half of Christmas with Carly and Spencer. They wanted us to have a good Christmas since my dad is gone. I couldn't help but love Carly more for being such a great friend. No, not the kind of love you feel towards a significant other. It was the kind of love you feel towards a sibling.

Then there was Puckett. For some reason, she was helping me forget more about Carly and my like for her has grown and grown. It was different this time. I'm not obsessing over her like I did Carly. The time I've spent with her was real and it was fun. She made my Christmas ten times better, especially when we had that snowball fight.

Now I'm back in school and the AV club has been working hard to earn enough money so that we could go on this awesome field trip to California. Puckett suggested that we should sell candy. I decided to give it a try.

I was in Spencer's studio, helping him work on a sculpture. He was sculpting a small dinosaur for a museum not so far from Bushwell. Apparently they were giving him good money and he said that if I helped him out, he would give me half. Of course I decided to help him out. I could use all the money anyways.

"Can you hand me the white colored clay?" asked Spencer, not taking his eyes off his sculpture.

"Sure," I walked over to the table where he keeps all of his supplies and I grabbed a small tub of white clay. I wasn't really helping him make the dinosaur but I was helping him make snacks and getting him any sculpting supplies he needed. He took the tub from my hands and started making tiny little teeth out of the clay and place them on the unfinished dinosaur. He stood up and stretched his arms out.

"I think that's it for now. How are you liking my sculpture Freddo?" asked Spencer with a wide grin on his face. He truly does love art. The look in his face after a job well done is priceless.

"It's really good Spencer. You're work is amazing," I smiled at him.

"Thanks. So how are things at school going? Kids are still teasing you?" he walked over to the able and grabbed a bottle of Vitamin Water, taking a big gulp, then setting it back down.

"When am I not getting bullied? But like you said, if I surround myself with people I like then everything will be good int he end," I sat down on one of the chairs.

"I didn't say that. I said people you LOVE," he smirked. I rolled my eyes.

"Same thing," I fought back. I know he said the word love but the only person who made everything better, besides him and Carly, is Puckett. But I am nowhere near to the point of loving her. I like her and that's it.

"Okay Freddo. You win. Tell me, how is the AV club?" he took another big gulp of his drink.

"It's going great actually," a smile grew on my face. A big smile,might I add. "We're trying to make money by selling candy. There is an awesome computer workshop at the Los Angeles Science Center this spring and we really want to go. We need enough money for a bus, food, and a hotel. We start selling tomorrow."

"Wow that seems like a lot of money. Are you sure you can save enough?" he asked, concerned.

"Yeah. Who doesn't like candy? You would buy some from me right?" I gave him a smirk.

"Of course Frewardo. I got your back," he smile.

"Thanks Spencer."

* * *

I knew the the next day would be a long one. It was lunch time and I decided to make a stop at the restroom before going to our emergency AV club meeting that I organized. I went in to do my business and when I walked out of the stall, I saw Gibby rubbing baby lotion on his bare stomach. I watched him as I made my way towards the sink to wash my hands. He does that every day and I never get used to it. He had a big smile on his face.

"Hey Gibby. You seem unusably happy today," I said as I began to dry my hands.

"I am happy dude. Remember that girl I told you that kept stealing all of my money?" he said, not taking his eyes off the mirror and he continues applying more baby lotion.

"Yeah. What about her?" I leaned towards the counter where the mirror was and crossed my arms.

"Well a couple of weeks ago, she slammed me against the wall and I was going to give her my money but she just decided to let me go. She didn't take my money or anything. Sometimes, I walk by her on my way to school and she doesn't take my money like she used to. It's so awesome," he screamed in joy.

"Wow Gibby. That is awesome. I wonder why she stopped taking your money," I said, putting my hand on my chin. It really was odd that someone that used to torture Gibby would suddenly stop.

"Who cares? I can buy lunch now," he laughed.

I walked out of the restroom and made my way to the room where we held the AV club meetings. Everyone seemed eager and excited in their seats. I walked inside and stood in the front center of the room. I was excited to get started and start selling this candy.

"Hey everyone. Thanks a lot for coming. Just to let you guys know, I really want you all to work hard and make as much money as we can to sell this candy and get us to that science center this spring. Do you have any questions?"

I scanned the room and everyone had their hands up. I pointed towards my friend, Shane and everyone put their hands back down.

"So how much is the trip overall?" he asked.

"Well, I haven't made all of the calculations yet but Principle Franklin will be helping us out with that. My guess is that we need at least two thousand dollars. We have to pay for the bus, gas, hotel, and food. I'll try to book us an affordable hotel and we can share rooms so we don't have to pay so much. Does that sound good?"

Everyone nodded. Another one of my buddies raised his hand.

"So where is all the candy?"

"Oh, that's why I called you all to this emergency meeting. There is a truck in the parking lot waiting for us to unload all of the candy. Let's go," I said and I lead everyone out of the school and a big white truck was waiting for us in the parking lot. There were dozens of boxes filled with different snacks. It took us all of lunch time to get the boxes from the truck to the classroom.

"Okay guys, take as many boxes as you want. I'll try to find other ways to make money. I really want us to go on this trip," I smiled and everyone began to cheer. I was really looking forward to the trip.

The bell rang. I grabbed two boxes of candy and I made my way towards my next class, which was English. Gibby is in my class so I decided to ask him if he could help me sell some of the snacks. I wanted to sell as much as I could and Gibby has this kind of charm that pretty much works with everyone. If I could sell candy fast, I can order more and sell those as well. I was determined to raise all of that money.

As I entered the room, I noticed Gibby sitting in the front of the classroom, listening to his iPod and doing some kind of random dance. I sat next to him. I doubt he noticed me because of his music so I tapped him on the shoulder and he jumped up a little.

"Hey Gibby," I said.

"Hey Freddie. What's up?" he said, removing his headphone from his ears.

"Can you help me with something?" he nodded. "Okay, so I need help selling candy for this fundraiser I organized. Can I come to your after school and help me sell candy around our neighborhood?"

"Oh sure. I don't mind. Meet me at my house after school okay?" I smiled at him. I knew I could count on Gibby to help me with anything.

"Awesome thanks. You're the best, man. So can you take one of these boxes home with you?"

"Of course," he smiled.

* * *

After school, I decided to grab two more boxes of snacks from the AV room. I was confident that me and Gibby could sell it all by the end of the day. I called my mom earlier to tell her where I would be spending the rest of the afternoon. She wasn't too approving of me being out but I guess she understood that this was for school and she was all for education. Thanks goodness she wasn't nagging me this time.

I decided to walk the distance between Ridgeway and Gibby's house. He lived on the other side of town which is about an hour walk from my apartment but I didn't mind the walk. As I made my way to my best friend's house, I remember Puckett telling me that she lives in that part of town. I wondered if she lived anywhere near Gibby. It would be pretty cool if they lived close to each other. I could introduce her to Gibby and she could be a bigger part of my life now.

I walked by a bus station and I heard someone scream. The voice of whoever was screaming sounded incredibly familiar but I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to it. This was the bad part of Seattle after all. I decided to ignore it and not get involved.

As I continues walking, I passed by an alley and from the corner of my eye I saw a girl pinning a chubby kid against the wall. I turned to look and I couldn't believe my eyes. It was Puckett. She was pinning Gibby, my best friend, against the wall. I saw the two boxes of candy that I gave him earlier on the floor and he had a couple of one dollar bills in his hands. She looked angry. She wasn't the girl I met at the cemetery almost two months ago.

Puckett was the girl that was stealing money from Gibby all along. I felt this pain in my chest. so everything we went through together was a lie? All of the laughs, texts, and phone calls. They were all lies.

"Puckett? What are you doing to Gibby?" I screamed. She turned to face me and her eyes became wide. She stepped away from Gibby and I watched him run away, screaming like a girl. He was on the verge of tears. Puckett stood there, not saying anything. I didn't know what to tell her either.

"Benson... I uh. It's not what it looks like," she stuttered.

"You're just like them. Just like the people that tease me everyday," I said quietly, backing away from her.

"Wait a minute," she said, walking towards me.

"Here I though that you were different. That you were a genuinely nice person. But you're not. You're the person that's been stealing money from my best friend all these weeks. You are just like the rest of them," that's all I said and I began to walk away. I didn't know where to go. I just wanted to stay as far away from Puckett as I could. I couldn't even believe that I was starting to like her.

"Benson, wait. I am nothing like those losers that tease you at your school," she shouted out but I continues to walk away. That's when I felt her hands on my shoulders and she dragged me back into the alley, pinning me against the wall int he process, just like she did with Gibby. I was scared of what she was going to do.

"Listen to me Benson," she said, not letting go of me.

"Okay," I gave up and she finally let go of me. We guided me out of the alley and we sat down on the curb of the sidewalk.

"Let me explain. I didn't want you to see that," she said as she wrapped her arms around her knees.

"Why Puckett? That's my best friend. He gets teased at school too," I asked her, hopelessly. I thought I knew her but I guess I don't.

"I sort of have a reputation at school. Everyone calls me a bully. But I'm not really like that."

"Oh yeah? Then why were you taking money from Gibby huh?" I was growing angry.

"It's a long story," she said as she brought her chin to rest on her knees. She took a deep sigh.

"I'm poor okay? My mom doesn't work and we barely have enough for the bills. Ever since I was little, everyone has put me in this category just because I'm not afraid to stand up for myself. Everyone thinks I'm a bully. I just give them what they want by messing with them. And about your friend, I'm sorry okay? I'm really sorry. I didn't know he was your friend in the first place," she said, not bothering to look at me.

The tone of her voice told me that she really meant that apology. "Okay but that doesn't answer my question. Why were you taking money from Gibby?"

"I told you Benson, we're poor. When my dad was a live, we had money. It wasn't a lot but we had some money. Now my mom, she doesn't give me money, she doesn't feed me, she doesn't give one shit about me. So sometimes, I take money from people so I can buy food," she said desperately.

"Have you ever tried getting, oh I don't know, a job?" I asked her sarcastically. I felt bad for her because of her mom and because of what happened to her dad but that was no reason to steal money from people.

"I tried but no one here trusts me. They think I'm a bad person. I'm not a bad person and you know that. You're the only person who sees the good in me," she said, looking up at me. I was confused all of a sudden.

"What do you mean by that?"

"When I met you, you didn't run away in fear of me hurting you. Everyone just assumes I'm a bad person and I'm not going to go around explaining myself to them. I didn't have to explain myself when I met you. And remember that day I called you a dork?"

I nodded.

"That day, I realized how much it hurt someone to get teased like that. I felt guilty and the next day, I tried to take money from your friend but I just couldn't do it," she looked back down and I could see the sad expression her face.

Was I really a positive influence on her? She stopped stealing from Gibby because of me. I remember earlier when Gibby told me that she stopped stealing from him. He seemed so happy. I smiled but it faded quickly.

"So why were trying to take money from him today?" I asked her.

"Because, I was running out of money. I tried to get some from my mom but she just yelled at me, telling me that it was hers. I didn't want to take any money from him but I had to. You're mad huh?"

I looked at her for a moment before I answered her. As much as I wanted to stay mad at her, I just couldn't. Something about the sincerity in her voice told me that she was really a good person. I know she is a good person. If she wasn't, she wouldn't have hung out me all those times. She would tease me the way Steven does. I smiled at her.

"No," i simply answered. Her head shot up and her eyes widened.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Look, can you help me with these boxes? Gibby left those two in the alley and I can't carry all of this by myself," I asked her.

"Sure," she laughed and she walked back to the alley to grab the two boxes. She came back and I stood up. We began to walk towards Gibby's house.

"So why aren't you mad at me? I kind of expected you to just shun me or something," she asked and began to swing the boxes with her arms.

"Because like you said, I know you're not a bad person. I've had a lot of fun getting to know you these past weeks. No other girl really talks to me, besides Carly and her friend. You didn't judge me just like I didn't judge you. You know?"

"Thanks. So what's with the boxes?" she asked me.

"Oh, these are filled with different snacks. Remember when you told me about selling candy as a way of raising money? Well I decided to take your advice."

"Really? Hey that's awesome. So you're going to sell these with your friend right? You know if I had money, I'd buy them all from you. You know how much I like to eat," she laughed.

"Oh yeah believe me, I know."

Everything felt like it was back to normal. Me and Puckett, walking and talking, having a good time. I realized that although she was wrong by taking money from Gibby, there are two sides to every story. And somehow I admired her more when she confessed to me about how I was the reason she stopped bullying people for a while. I couldn't help myself. I began to like her more and more.

We reached Gibby's front door and she placed the boxes she was holding on the ground.

"Well thanks for everything," she said. "See ya later Benson."

I watched her walk away but something struck me. I ran back towards her and found the courage to tell her something I've been wanting to tell her for a while

"Wait up," she turned around to face me. I sighed.

"I'm Freddie," I said. It felt so good to finally tell her and I could tell she was happy that I trusted her so much into telling her name. Before we went our separate way, I saw a big smile form on her face.

"I'm Sam."

* * *

**Okay so what did you guys think? Was it too much? did you like it? I really hope you did lol. I thought the ending was pretty cute. They finally know each others' first names! Yayy.**

**Oh and if you're reading this, I REALLY want you to check out my new Seddie story, Summer Vacation and PLEASE review it. Tell me what you think of it so far. I'd love to read what you guys think.**

**Well that's all for now. Until next chapter. Don't forget to review. I'd like to get to 80 reviews if that's possible. Take care y'all. XOXO**

**PS. Did you guys notice that Shane was mentioned in this chapter? I want to know if you guys want me have Carly date Griffin throughout the whole story or is Shane should come in and woo her or something? Let me know. :)**


	11. Chapter 10: Change of Heart

**I don't think I could ever get tired of thanking you guys for your amazing reviews. They really know how to put a smile on my face.**

**Anyways, I wanted to ask you guys something. This is a SXF story so obviously you guys are fans of them. Are any of you feeling like Seddie might not happen in the series? That what it feels like to me. And I also heard something about a new video where he is pretty much hitting on Victoria Justice and Sam asks him something about liking brunettes and skirts. First there was iSD, then iSYL, and now this! Hmmm.... Anyone wanna help me out here cause I don't want to loose all of my hope lol. This Creddie filled season has been downright depressing me lol. XD XD XD.**

**Well on a brighter note, here is the next chapter. :)**

* * *

I can't even begin to explain how much I hated myself the moment that Benson caught me stealing money from that chubby nerd. It was all so overwhelming. They were best friends. All this time, I was stealing money from Benson's best friend. His name is Gibby, according to him. Thought I thought that name was pretty ridiculous, I felt incredibly guilty. The look on his face when he saw me taking money from his friend. The sadness in those amazing brown eyes I've grown to get myself lost in. It all tore me inside.

Those words he said to me. He said I was just like the people that tease him at school. I am nothing like them. At least I have a heart.

I had to explain myself to him. I had to tell him why I was stealing money and why I couldn't find a job. Surprisingly, he wasn't mad me. He understood where I came from and why I did what I did. Instead of telling me what a horrible bully I am and walking away from my life for good, he asked me to help him. We walked and talked just like we always do and it never felt better.

I sat in my math class, bored out of my mind. We had a substitute teacher, the kind that have absolutely no idea what is going on and lets us all do whatever the hell we please. Normally, I'd take a nap and not care but today was different. His name echoed in my head and wouldn't stop. Freddie.

I felt this unusual happiness inside me when I heard him say his name. After two months of knowing each other, he trusted me with his name and I was certain I trusted him with mine. He doesn't look like a Freddie. I thought his name would be something different like Jeremy, Johnny, or even Arnold. But somehow, it fits him. Freddie is a nice name and that's what he is, a nice guy.

The constant echoing of his name in my head finally stopped when I heard the bell ring. It was finally lunch time. I managed to take a few bucks from my mom when she wasn't looking so I could buy some food and lucky for me, she was too wasted to even notice. I walked to the cafeteria and grabbed a big slice of pizza. Why couldn't my school serve good pizza? Not the preheated kind with the hardened cheese. Well, it was better than nothing.

I made my way to my usual bench and took a big bite of my pizza. I saw some of the nerds I used to trip everyday during lunch. They looked a little nervous to walk by me but they still had the courage to walk. I didn't do anything. I didn't stare at them nor did I intend on hurting them. I just minded my own business and continued eating my meal.

Sometimes, I question why I keep sitting on the same damn bench everyday for lunch, knowing that I will have some sort of encounter with her. Mindy, that stupid bitch. I watched her as she walked towards me. She sat next to me and gave me an evil grin.

"What?!" I snapped.

"So Samantha, I saw you the other day with that nerd," she said in a fake, good girl voice. My eyes grew wide when she said that.

"What are you talking about, Mindy." I stood up to look down on her but she quickly stood up too so that she was facing me.

"You are the biggest hypocrite I've ever met. That's what I'm talking about. You go around, acting like some tough chick but there you are, hanging around with some dork after school. I saw you with him, carrying his boxes, laughing with him. You are a very sad person, Samantha," she said, getting her face all over mine. I could feel the anger rising as I clenched my fist. Without thinking, I punched her in the nose and she fell to the ground. A crowd started forming around us.

"Don't mess with me Mindy," I said calmly and I began to walk away. I could hear people whispering before I heard her scream.

"You'll pay for this Puckett. I'm going to get you," I just kept walking with a smirk on my face.

* * *

I walked into my counselor's office after school. It was a Friday which meant that I had to give her my weekly and a recap of how I've been doing in school. I've been doing pretty good if I do say so myself. I've been doing my homework and I've tried my best on all of my tests. And my report card is filled with B's and C's which is pretty damn good in my book.

"Hey Sam. Please take a seat," said Mrs. Adams and I sat on the seat next to her desk. "Let me see your weekly."

I handed her my weekly and I watched her as she read through what all of my teachers wrote about me.

"Well Sam, you seem to be doing pretty good. None of your teachers are complaining," she smiled at me.

"That's good," I said.

"But, I do want to talk to you about your creative writing class. You have a C in that class. From what I know, that is your best class. Why aren't you trying?"

"I am trying. I turn in stories and that's better than nothing. If this is about my songs then no. I won't write them," I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes.

"Okay I understand. I won't pressure you. Well, keep up the good work. I'll see you next week," she smiled and turned her desk around so that she could work on her computer.

"Later Mrs. Adams," I walked out, feeling really irritated. I wish she's stop bugging me about my writing class.

But I had bigger things to worry about. I can't take money from my mom whenever I feel like it. Unless I want to get my ass kicked by her, I had to do something to earn money so that I can buy food. I also want to earn money so that I can get our car fixed and I can just get the hell away from my mom once graduation comes. I can't stand living with her anymore.

I walked out school and I took the long walk across town until I arrived in front of the Groovy Smoothie. I looked at the door and the NOW HIRING sign was still there. I sighed in relief and I walked in. The place was packed with a bunch of snooty looking kids from Ridgeway. I saw Freddie's friend, Carly, there with some really good looking guy. She had a french fry in her hand and she fed it to him, only to be rewarded with a quick kiss on the lips. I rolled my eyes at the PDA and I approached the cashier in the front.

"Hi, what can I do for you?" he asked.

"Um yeah are you still hiring?" I leaned in over the counter and placed my hand under my chin.

"You really want to work here? Are you serious?" his eyes widened in shock.

"Yeah. I do."

"Come here," he said and he led me to a room behind the main counter. He pointed at a chair and I quickly sat down. He grabbed the chair across the room and placed it next to mine before he sat down too.

"Okay, let me get this straight. You want to work here?"

"Yes, I do," I answered. I was beginning to get annoyed with this guy. "I need money. Can you give me a job or not?"

"Yes actually, I can. When can you start?" he asked as a huge smile grew on his face.

"Tomorrow... but wait. No job application? No interview?" I was happy that I was instantly hired but it was strange that I didn't have to go through the process of applying and being interviewed.

"Nah. No one really wants to work here cause I make them sell food on a stick. They think it's stupid," he scoffed. Was he serious?

"Yeah. What are they thinking. Those idiots," I answered sarcastically. "I'm Sam by the way."

"T-Bo," he shook my hand. "Okay be here at ten thirty tomorrow morning okay?"

"Okay. Thanks."

I stepped out of the small room and out of the Groovy Smoothie. This was too good to be true. I actually got a job without people thinking that I would rob them of their merchandise.

I was about a block away when I saw Freddie, holding a couple of roses in his hands, waiting by for the light to change. I decided to approach him.

"Sup?"

"Hey... Sam," he smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"I was craving a smoothie," I lied. I didn't want to tell him about my job just yet. I wanted to wait and surprise him.

"So where are you going? The cemetery?" I asked, eying the red roses in his hands.

"Yeah, I haven't been there all week. I've been so busy trying to make money for that field trip," he answered. The light finally turned green and we began to walk across the street.

"Same here. Mind if I join you?"

"Oh sure no problem," he smiled. "You know, it feels weird calling you Sam now. I got so used to Puckett."

I laughed. "Well you can call me Puckett if you want."

"Naw," he protested. "I want to get used to calling you Sam. It's a cool name."

"You really think so?"

"Yeah. It's simple... oh is Sam short for anything?"

"Yeah," I groaned. "My full name is Samantha Puckett. You know I'll hurt you if you call me Samantha right?"

"I do now," we both began to laugh. I couldn't hurt him if he called me that. After what happened the other day, I began to like him more and more. He's nice, smart, sweet, and he has some pretty amazing eyes. He was basically the total opposite of me and I loved that.

"What about you? Is Freddie short for something?"

"My full name is Fredward Benson. I prefer Freddie though." he said.

"Yeah I prefer Freddie too," I laughed.

We finally reached the cemetery and Freddie placed his roses on his dad's grave. We sat down and I looked at my dad's tombstone. I miss him so much. Life is hard without him. I don't know how much longer I can hold on if I keep living with my mother. The only person right now that makes everything worth it is Freddie.

"What are you thinking?" I was snapped from my thought by his voice. I looked at Freddie for a few seconds before I lowered my head, my eyes staying focused on the grass.

"Do you ever think about your dad?" I asked him. I heard him take a deep sigh.

"Every day. Do you think about yours?" I began to play with the grass below me using my fingers.

"Like you said, every day. I miss him a lot," I could feel the tears threatening to come out but forced them in. I didn't want to cry in front of him. I didn't want to look like some weak pathetic fool. I've always been strong but lately, it's been extremely hard. Sometimes, I begin to wonder how long it's going to take before I finally crack.

"Me too," he whispered and I felt an arm around my shoulder. I looked up and Freddie was giving me a comforting smile. I smiled back and placed my head on his shoulder. We sat there for a while. My head on his shoulder and his arm around mine. And for a moment I felt like everything was going to be okay...

* * *

When I arrived back home, my mom was passed out on the floor and there was a bottle of vodka in her hands. There was vodka spilled all over the floor and a puddle of vomit right next to her. I gagged at the smell of puke and alcohol. I didn't the strength to deal with her.

I made my way upstairs and up towards the attic. I lifted the door and looked around until I found what I was looking for. My guitar and notebook were sitting right where I felt them. I grabbed them and brought them to my room. Holding my guitar in my hands again after two months made me feel whole again. It made me happy. I closed my eyes and an image of Freddie popped into my head. I sighed before opening my eyes again

Despite it's missing string, I spent the rest of the afternoon playing my guitar and writing down lyrics as I replayed every minute I've spent with Freddie in my head.

* * *

**So what did you guys think? I think the ending was kind of cheesy but it was pretty maningful. I mean, Sam finally started playing again and she wrote a song about Freddie. The song will be mentioned in a later chapter lol. I hoped you liked it. Don't forget to review and check out my other story, Summer Vacation.**

**PS. It's March 1st which means that today is Daniella Monet's birthday. She's in that new show, Victorious. So happy birthday to her and to Justin Bieber. I happen to be a huge fan of his. And speaking of Birthdays, my 20th birthday is in 11 days. I am sooo excited. :)**

**PSS. SORRY for any grammatical or spelling errors. It's almost 2am and I'm beat. Lol.  
**


	12. Chapter 11: Inspiration

**Sorry for taking a bit longer for me to update this. I just haven't had the motivation and inspiration I need in order for me to type up the next chapter. To be completely honest, sometimes I feel like I'm a bad writer because other stories get SO MANY reviews without even having a lot of chapters and my stories don't get that much. It just makes me feel like I'm not good enough and I have to work TEN TIMES harder just to get people to even consider reading my work. So to those who actually read and review my stories, whether it's this one, iDavid, or Summer Vacation, ****THANK YOU****. I mean it from the bottom on my heart. You are all so amazing.**

**And about this story. I get so many people telling me they were very "hesitant" about reading this story cause it's AU. And you have no idea how much it bugs me when people say that. But then when they say that this story is good, it doesn't bother me so much. If I would have knows sooner that people aren't reading this cause of it's alternate take on iCarly, I probably wouldn't have written the story to begin with BUT it makes SO happy to know that you're giving this story a chance. Again, ****THANK YOU SO MUCH****. :D**

**I really hope this didn't make any of you feel bad, guilty and/or annoyed. If I did, I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention. I just had so much frustration pent up inside of me from this and from other stuff going on in my life right now but it was good to get it out lol. So yeah, sorry about that.**

**But blah blah blah, I'm just ranting. Don't mind me. Just enjoy this update. The first two paragraphs aren't the best but bare with me. It gets better. Lol :)**

* * *

The past two weeks have been ridiculously busy and crazy for me. I finally told Puckett my name and she revealed hers. Her name is Sam, which isn't something that I expected. She looked like an Alex to me. But, somehow, Sam seemed to be the perfect name for her. It's not a girlie name. It's simple and I like that. The more I spend time with her, the more I start to like her and it makes me so happy to know that she trusts me so much. One day, we were in the cemetery, talking about how much we missed our dad's. I had my arm around her and she had her head on my shoulders. Having her in my arms like that gave this happy feeling inside. Like I was complete. She didn't tell me specifically how her dad died, but I was one step closer to gaining her complete trust. That was when I thought about how happy it would make me if she would accept me as her boyfriend but I try not to dwell on it so much. Maybe it's all pity and she only likes talking to me because of our situation...

It was a Friday and I was walking to school alone with two boxes of candy in my hands. The AV club had a successful two weeks, selling candy and making enough money for the field trip in the spring. I was completely positive that we would make more than enough money. I was proud of myself and my fellow classmates for helping me make this possible.

I walked into school and headed for my locker. These boxes were heavy and my arms were sore from carrying candy filled boxes everyday. As I was turning the dial, I noticed from the corner of my eye Steven and his gang coming towards me. I tried to stay calm but I knew this would get ugly. When he finally approached me, he grabbed one of my boxes and began tossing it around as if it were a volleyball.

"Give it back Steven," I said in a pleading tone. I didn't want to sound angry or it would just set him off and I didn't want to get hurt. He tossed the box to one of his friends while another one grabbed the other box.

"I've been seeing these around a lot lately! What are they?" asked Steven. "Your new nerd experiment?"

"Give them back!" I tried to snatch the box from him but one of his friends grabbed me by both arms and held me back as I watched both of the boxes get torn into pieces. All of the candy bars fell to the ground.

"Score!" he cheered and threw his fists in the air. I tried to get out of Steven's friend's grip but e was a lot stronger than me. Steven and three of his friends grabbed all of the candy from the floor and stuffed them into their back packs.

"Hey, you have to pay for that," I told him which was probably a stupid idea because his friend kicked me behind the knee and I fell to the ground. Steven grabbed my hair and pulled my head up so that we were at eye level.

"Listen here, nerd. I am not paying for anything. Got it?" he threatened. He let go of my hair by pushing my against the floor. He walked away with over fifty dollars worth of candy. I rubbed my head to ease the pain before I stood up and walked to my first class. There wasn't much I could do but I knew I had to replace the money somehow.

I was angry with myself for allowing Steven to hurt me the way he does. I didn't do anything bad for him to hate me. One day, I'm going to get sick and tired of his bullying and something bad will happen to him.

Lunch time finally came and I was walking in the main hallway, towards the cafeteria, with Gibby. I wasn't in the mood to eat. All I could think about was how I was going to replace the money from all the candy that Steven and his friends stole. Gibby suggested that I tell Principle Franklin but he wouldn't do anything. Steven is the star of Ridgeway and if I snitched on him, everyone would hate me more. The bullying could get worse. I was pretty much on my own.

"Hey Freddie," I turned around to see Carly running towards me. Wendy was with her.

"Hey Carly, what's up?"

"We heard about what happened to you earlier today...," she said softly.

"Yeah," I shrugged.

"We think it's really stupid that Steven would do something like that. I'm really sorry for what he did," she said and gave me a big hug.

"Don't be," I said quietly. "That's what I get for being a wimp."

"Don't say that Freddie. What goes around comes around," she tried to comfort me but it wasn't working. I felt like a complete loser. Like a failure for letting Steven take my candy.

"I guess...,"

"Look Freddie, don't be so upset. How much did he take?"

"About sixty dollars worth of candy bars," I muttered.

"Are you serious? What a jerk. But anyways, Wendy wants to help," she smiled at me. I looked at Wendy, who was holding a small white envelope in her hands.

"I went around and asked people if they wanted to help you and I managed to get you thirty dollars," she said, handing me the envelope. I opened it and it was stuffed with one dollar bills. I smiled and gave her a thank you hug.

"I don't know what to say. Thank you, Wendy," I said to her. I really was thankful. No one at school has ever done something so nice to me.

"Anytime," she smiled.

"Well," said Carly. "We have to go. We just wanted to surprise you. I'll see you around okay, Freddie?"

"Yeah. Later," I said and I watched the two walk away. A big smile formed on my face.

* * *

The next day, I woke up in a very bad mood. Aside from the money that Wendy gave me, I didn't have enough to replace everything that Steven stole from me. He didn't even eat most of them. In between classes, he followed me around and threw some opened chocolate bars at me. The chocolate bars were melted so I pretty much spent the rest of the afternoon shampooing my hair multiple times just to get the chocolate out of my hair.

After breakfast, a healthy one thanks to my mom, Carly texted me and asked me out for smoothies. As much as I would have loved to spend time with Carly, there was only one girl I wanted to hang out with and that was Sam. I haven't seen much of her but she said she's been busy. I was a little upset about that but I knew that the next time I saw her, it would be a fun time.

I walked into Carly's apartment and I found her in the kitchen, having cereal with Spencer. I sat with them and sighed in desperation.

"Hey Freddo, you look kind of glum," said Spencer.

"I am."

"Yeah Steven stole some of his candy and he needs to find a way to replace all the money," explained Carly to him.

"Ah, I see. I'm totally broke right now so I can't help you Fredwardo."

"It's okay," I said in defeat. "I'll figure out a way."

"Oh Spencer. Me and Freddie are going for a smoothie in a bit. You want me to bring you something," asked Carly as she turned to face Spencer.

"Yeah. Get the usual."

"Okay," she said and brought her bowl to the sink. "Let's go."

As we walked towards he Groovy Smoothie, I drifted off into my own little planet. I was thinking of how much things changed since the accident and not just the changes in my family. If this were two months ago, I'd be overjoyed to be spending time with Carly. I'd be excited that the girl of my dreams wanted to hang out with me and have smoothies on a Saturday morning. But I found myself thinking about Sam and how much my like for her has grown.

"Uh Freddie?" I heard Carly call for me and I snapped out of my thoughts.

"Huh? What happened?"

"You kind of spaced out. What are you thinking about?"

"Well, I uh, well... you see," I began to stammer. Great!

"Aw you were thinking of that Puckett girl huh?" she said and her smile grew big. "That is so cute."

"No it's not," I whined.

"You two would be so cute together. You know, I saw her at the Groovy Smoothie a few days ago while I was on my date with Griffin. She was talking to T-Bo."

"Really?" That was odd. She told me she was caving a smoothie that day. I began to think that maybe she didn't get a smoothie.

"Yeah. She seemed really happy when she left," she said as she began to inspect her nails, making sure they were perfect.

"Interesting," I said simply. I knew I had to talk to Sam about this later.

"So, how are you two doing?" asked Carly. Okay, it was kind of awkward that she asked me about Sam. This was Carly, the girl I used to be head over heels for. The one who constantly rejected me and she was asking me about Sam? Yeah, awkward. But I decided to tell her anyways.

"I really don't know. We are becoming closer though. Her name is Sam, by the way," I responded, not looking directly at her. I simply stuffed my hands in my pocket and looked at the sidewalk in front of me.

"Really? She looks like an Alex to me."

"That's what I thought too," I laughed.

After a few minutes, the awkwardness was gone and I told Carly about how Sam makes me feel and about all of the good times we've spent together. She seemed really happy for me which was a bit shocking at first but I wasn't so surprised in the end. Carly has always had a good heart and I'll always love her for that, just not in the romantic type of way.

I've always wondered if my like for Sam is the same as my like for Carly. I met Sam and she helped me get over Carly in a short amount of time. What if I were to meet another girl? What if I started to like her and my like for Sam will soon be forgotten? The thought scared the crap out of me because I don't want Sam to be someone I have a crush on for a while and then move on to the next girl. Sam is special to me. She means a lot to me and she's been there for me. I want something to happen between us but then again, that's what I thought of Carly. I knew I had be sure of my feelings towards Sam before I could move on to asking her to be my girlfriend. I don't want her to be just some crush. I want her to be more...

We walked into the Groovy Smoothie, only to be greeted by T-Bo, who tried to get us to buy some of his foods-on-a-stick. We kindly said no and walked up to the cashier who was stacking carrots neatly in a pile next to the blenders.

"Um excuse me?" said Carly as she tapped the counter, trying to get the cashier's attention. "We're ready to order."

"Yeah can I... help you?" said the cashier. She stood there, frozen, staring at me with wide eyes. I couldn't move either. The cashier taking our orders was Sam. She was wearing a beige polo shirt with a green apron that had the store's logo on it. Her hair was up and she had a visor on.

"Sam? You work here?" I asked. She didn't say anything. I watched her run towards T-Bo and they seemed to be arguing for a few seconds before she cam back running towards me.

"Can we talk, privately?" she said, looking at Carly.

"I'll just order my smoothies to go. I'll see you later okay, Freddie?" she said kindly.

"Sure," I waved goodbye to her and turned to face Sam.

"Let's go outside. I asked T-Bo for a short break," she suggested and we exited the Groovy Smoothie. We sat on of the chairs outside. We were silent for a while. I knew she was uncomfortable about me finding out about her job. After a few seconds of total awkwardness, I decided to speak first.

"So uh, T-Bo hired you?"

"Yeah," she said quietly. "I started a couple of days ago. I was planning on telling you after I get my first check."

"But you live all the way across town," I stated. I knew that no one would hire her in her neighborhood but I wanted her to tell me herself.

"Because, not a lot of people know me here so they can't make that judgment that I'm a bad person. Besides, T-Bo was desperate for help. He pretty much hired me on the spot," we both began to laugh, lightening the mood.

"Oh T-Bo...,"

"Yeah..."

I began to feel that awkwardness between us rise again. There had to be a reason why she chose to look for a job after I caught her trying to take money from Gibby. There had to be more than just her needing money so she could buy herself food.

"I hope you don't mind me asking but uh, why did you come here for a job?" I said, staring directly into her eyes. I noticed her cheeks becoming a very faint shade of pink as she lowered her head so that she wasn't looking at me. I could tell she knew exactly what I meant when I asked her that question.

"Okay. Look, I'm only going to say this once you listen up.," she said as she leaned in closer to me. I felt myself getting nervous. "You may or may not have inspired me to get this job. Okay there I said it."

I looked at her in awe. She leaned back onto her chair and crossed her arms, obviously feeling embarrassed about what she told me.

"Really?" I asked in disbelief. "Wow, I don't know what to say, Sam. I think it's pretty amazing that you're doing this."

"It's nothing. Just trying to be a better person. Look, I have to get back to work. Want to hang out tomorrow? I have the day off," she asked as she stood up and grabbed the handle to the Groovy Smoothie's door.

"Sure. Meet me at the park?" I suggested.

"Okay," she said.

"Uh, Sam?"

"Yeah?" I grabbed her arm and I pulled her towards me, embracing her in a tight hug.

"I'm proud of you," I whispered into her ear. She smiled at me and walked back inside.

* * *

**Okay that was kind of short but I hope it was still good. Let me know what y'all think lol. I was going to make it a bit longer but I decided that the last part was cute so I left it like that.**

**So I must admit, the author's note I wrote in the beginning of this chapter was written a couple of days ago. I'm not really upset anymore and there is no reason to be upset. It's March 11 which means today is my 20TH BIRTHDAY! It's two thirty in the morning and I can't sleep. I have butterflies in my tummy that are keeping me awake. Ahhh. I'm really excited. I don't have much planned. I hung out with a few friends yesterday and I'll be spending my bday with my family. One of my closest friends is actually taking me to Disneyland possibly next week. I'm really stoked about that.**

**Anyways, it would mean the world to me if not only you reviewed this chapter, but also reviewed my other story, Summer Vacation. The prologue got like 9 reviews but only 3 reviews in the first chapter. So pretty please review and I will be a happy girl lol.**

**I think you all are gonna like the next chapter. We are only a few chapters away from the beginning of Seddie. I can't wait.**

**Until the next chapter, I will talk to y 'all later.**

**PS. I updated my FFnet bio. Make sure to check it out. And make sure to follow me on Twitter if you have one. :)**

**PSS. _THIS IS IMPORTANT_! If you have a story that you would like me to read and review, please let me know in your review. You will see why in the next chapter. :D**


	13. Chapter 12: What I Really Wanna Say

**Heyyy my fellow readers. I just wanted to say THANK YOU again. Your reviews made me smile like no other and I promise to never complain about these kind of things again. I love this story and I'm really proud of it and I'm glad that you all are reading it. **

**ANYWAYS, sorry about the lack of Seddie interaction in the last chapter. I actually thought the ending was cute. We are so close to Seddie actually happening in this story and I think you will love what I have in store for both of them and the other characters. There will be quite a lot of Seddieness in this chapter so I hope you enjoy it. :)**

* * *

Once I made my way inside of the Groovy Smoothie, I looked out the window and watched Freddie walk away until he was no longer in sight. I couldn't get rid of the smile on my face. That hug he gave me and those words he whispered to me before he left made me weak in the knees. For once, I felt proud of myself for doing something good. It felt a hell of a lot more rewarding to do something good than to do something completely devious. He really has changed me for the better.

I was behind the counter, cleaning one of the blenders when I heard another loud tap behind me. I turned and saw Carly standing there, looking at me with a smile on her face.

"What?" I snapped at her. I like her, kind of, but I hate it when people stare at me.

"Freddie looked pretty happy when he left. I haven't seen him smile lately," she said, placing her elbows on the counter and resting her chin on her hands.

"What do you mean?" I asked, completely stopping what I was doing so that I could give her my full attention.

"He's been really depressed lately because one of the guys that teases him stole some of his candy," she said.

"Steven?" she nodded.

"Yeah, Steven even threw some of the melted chocolate bars at him and it took him hours to get the chocolate out of his hair."

"Stupid ass," I cursed under my breath. No wonder he looked so depressed when I saw him earlier. I was getting pissed off because Freddie is a good guy. He doesn't deserve all of this.

"He must really like you if you could make him smile the way he did," a smirk began to grow on her face. She's probably one of those girls who squeal when she thinks two people make a good couple. I rolled my eyes and shook my head playfully.

"So how much was the candy worth?" I asked, trying to change the subject because I do not like talking to anyone about my feelings.

"He said that Steven and his gang stole about sixty dollars worth of candy. Me and my friend, Wendy, tried to gather as much money as we could but we only managed to collect about thirty dollars," she said.

"Really?" I thought of a way to help I could help him and repay him for everything he's done for me. This was perfect. I could give him more than enough with my first paycheck. I smiled at her.

"Thanks, Carly. Look, I have to get back to work. What do you want to order?"

"Oh, give me a medium Strawberry Splat and a large Blueberry Blitz."

"Coming right up. By the way, you wanna buy some bagels?"

* * *

The next day, I took a bus to the park across the street from the cemetery. Freddie and I agreed to hang out since both of us were free that Sunday. I haven't seen much of him lately and I honestly missed seeing him almost everyday. He's been busy selling his candy and I was busy working my ass off at the Groovy Smoothies that it was nice to finally have him around.

I was on the swing, rocking myself back and forth softly, thinking about what Carly told me the day before. _He must really like you. _Those words kept playing in my head over and over again. As much as I would love for him to have the same feelings I have for him, I really doubt he feels anything other than friendship towards me. Maybe on day, I'll tell him how I feel and hope he doesn't shun me from his life...

"Hey," I looked up to see Freddie sitting don't he swing beside me. I was completely off in my own little train of thoughts that I didn't notice him approaching me.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing," he said and he lowered his head. He looked really upset. I wanted to ask him what's wrong, even though I already knew why. But I didn't. Instead, I pulled out some money from my pocket.

"Here," I handed him the money. He looked at me and then his eyes fell to the small wad of cash in my hands before slowly reaching out to take it.

"What's this?" he asked, softly.

"I talked to Carly yesterday. She told me what happened to you and your candy. Just wanted to help," I shrugged.

"But, but this more than I needed. I can't take one hundred dollars from you. You need this money," he said, trying to give me back the money.

"Take it. T-Bo payed me yesterday. I have enough to survive," I gave him a small smile.

"I don't know what to say. I feel embarrassed," he confessed.

"Don't. I chose to help you. Just take it."

"Thanks," he smiled. My could feel my heart beginning to race. I wanted to ask him if he liked me so badly but I didn't want to destroy something that took two months to build. We sat there on the swings, swinging in awkward silence. A small breeze hit us and I closed my eyes, trying to relax and clear my mind. Suddenly, a flyer fell on my lap. I picked it up and began to read the print.

"Hey look at this," I said to Freddie and handed him the flyer. It was a flyer about a teen club a few blocks away from the Groovy Smoothie.

"It's Sunday Funday at Club 21 and Under. Everyone that arrives before eight gets in for free," he read.

"Want to go?" I asked.

"I don't know. I've never been to a club before," he hesitated.

"Come on Freddie. Don't you think we need some fun after all of the shit that we've been through. It's free," I said. I knew I was right. Both of us have been through so much since the deaths of our fathers. We were entitled to a night of fun.

"My mom will worry...," he said.

"Who cares. Let's go." I grabbed his hand and dragged him to the club. We were there a bit early but it wasn't like I was going to keep him out all night. I had to go to school the next day anyways.

We showed the security guard the flyer and we were inside in a matter of seconds. It was a pretty cool club. It was dark and there were tons of different colored lights flashing all around the club. I rolled my eyes at the fact that only Disney songs were being played. From the Jonas Brothers to Selena Gomez. They probably thought we were children just because it was a club for people under 21.

"What do you think?" I asked Freddie.

"It's pretty cool. I've never been to a place like this before," he said.

"Yeah me neither."

We grabbed two water bottles and found a small table to sit down. We didn't say much. We spent about two hours just sitting there, talking and watching everyone dance. I wanted to ask Freddie to dance with me but I decided against it.

"I hope everyone is having a Funday Sunday here at Club 21 and Under. This song is for all of you couples out there," the DJ announced through the speakers. The lights changed and a slow song began to play. Everyone paired up danced slowly. That awkward feeling sufaced itself again.

"Well... I wasn't expecting a slow song," I confessed.

"Yeah same here... um... do you want to dance?" he asked shyly.

"Really?"

"Well uh, only if you want to."

"Okay... sure...," I said and we began to walk slowly towards the dance floor. I was growing nervous.

We finally reached the dance floor and I turned to face him. We were a few feet apart and we slowly began to walk towards each other. I wrapped my arms around his neck awkwardly. He hesitated for a few seconds but he finally brought his hands to my waist. I felt a bit more relaxed and confident so I decided to place my head on his shoulder. I closed my eyes, enjoying this moment as much as I could. Having him in my arms like this was something I could get used it. It felt too good to have someone hold me that way he was holding me at that moment.

_What I really wanna say is you stay on my mind and I die every time that you're not around me._

_What I really wanna show you is what's in my heart but I stop when I start._

_Keep it locked inside me._

_What I really wanna do is scream it out loud. Get the message through._

_What I really wanna say is... I love you._

Those lyrics hit me like a ton of bricks. I really did want to tell Freddie that I like him, a lot but something was holding me back. I just couldn't tell him. Just kept telling myself that MAYBE, one day, I will tell him. I shook the thought out of my head so I could just enjoy our moment. His hands on my waist, my arms around his neck, and my head on his shoulder. God, I wanted that moment to last forever...

After the song was over, we decided to call it a night. He didn't want to worry his mom too much and I had to take the bus back home. We were walking in silence and not the awkward one from earlier that afternoon.

"I had fun," I broke the silence. I really did have fun with him. I always have a good time when I'm with Freddie.

"Me too..."

"Freddie?" I was ready to tell him about how much I liked him. "I... uh..."

I stopped when I felt a couple of drops of water hit my head. Before I knew it, rain started puring on us. Right before I was about to tell him, it HAD to rain huh? Maybe it was a sign that it wasn't the right time to tell him. That I had to wait a while before actally telling him the truthg about my feelings for him.

"Shit. Hey, I'm just gonna run back home before I get sick okay? See you next Sunday, Freddie," I said and I ran as fast as I could, without looking back.

After an hour, I arrived home, soaked from head to toe. Thankfully, my mom wasn't home. I walked up to my room and took a shower before going to bed.

* * *

One week later, I was in my room, playing the guitar and trying to write a song. I had a few hours to kill before meeting up with Freddie at the cemetery.

_You can be what I need to bring me back to life._

_I've been down, I've been out, been so dead inside_

_What if you're that someone I can be with forever?_

_Love, I wanna fall in love. I need to find the one._

_You can be my everything._

_And time, I wanna pass the time. I wanna make you mine._

_You can be my everything, my everything..._

"Ugh... NO," I whined. I was failing miserably at songwriting. I wanted to write a song about Freddie without trying to sound desperate. I quickly scribbled out the lyrics I wrote so I could start all over again.

I focused on just playing my guitar when I heard a loud knock on my door. It was my mom. I gulped and I hid my guitar under my bed.

"SAM," she slurred. I opened the door and I felt her push me to the ground.

"Why the hell are you playing that stupid guitar huh?" she said and kicked me in the stomach. "I never want to hear you play that guitar ever again. You and your fucking guitar ruined my life. They killed my husband."

"It's not my fault," I said. She kicked me in the stomach again.

"Yes it is, you little bitch," she kicked me repeatedly until I heard a honk coming from outside. I looked up and my mom was gone.

I had enough of her. All the pain that my mom was causing me was so unbearable. I just wanted to numb the pain and make it all go away. I dragged myself to my drawers. I opened the drawer where I keep my mom's alcohol and I took out a bottle of vodka. I began to chug the alcohol like a kid drinks their soda. In a matter of minutes, I was drunk.

I grabbed another bottle of vodka and I walked out of the house, making my way towards the cemetery. When I arrived, I was half way done with the bottle when I approached my dad's grave. I began to laugh uncontrollably.

"Hiiiii daddy," I slurred my words. How I managed to make it to the cemetery without getting run over was beyond me.

"This is me, daddy. Me after you died," I laughed again.

I laughed and laughed until everything around me began to spin. Before I knew it, I fell down and passed out.

* * *

I woke up with a massive headache. This is why my mother gets drunk every night? What the hell is wrong with her? I opened my eyes and I noticed that my head was on Freddie's lap.

"Freddie," I quickly sat up.

"Hey," he said sadly.

"What happened? Ah, my head hurts," I said, rubbing my throbbing head.

"I don't know, you tell me. You were passed out when I got here."

I looked down. I couldn't stand to look him in the eye. I didn't want him to see me like this. I felt like I was at my lowest point. I wanted my mom to leave me alone and stop blaming me and my guitar for my dad's death.

"My mom," I started. "She got drunk and started yelling at me again. She said it was my fault my dad is dead... so I started to drink some of her alcohol."

"Why? Why would you do that?" he asked.

"I don't know. It was such a stupid idea though," I said before I stood up. I wanted to go home and rest but as soon as I stood up, I tripped and fell again.

"Shit..."

"Sam, are you okay?" I felt Freddie's hand on my arm as he helped me stand up.

"What do you think?" I snapped at him.

"Sorry."

"Eh, it's okay. I think I'm gonna go home," I said and I began to walk towards the bus stop.

"Sam, wait. Let me walk you home," he offered.

"No, it's okay. I can go home by myself," I started to walk again but I tripped and fell... again.

"I insist," he said and he wrapped his arm around my waist for support. We made it to the bus stop just as the bus arrived and he helped me inside. Once we were in our seats, he wrapped his arm around my waist again and I rested my head on his shoulder. I felt him pull me closer towards him. Nothing felt better than having him hold me that way. I realized how shitty my life would be without him. My life would be nothing without the guy that was holding me in his arms.

When we got out of the bus, I showed him where my house was and he walked me to my front door.

"Thanks Freddie," I whispered. I leaned towards him and gave him a big hug.

I walked in and I fell asleep on the couch. When I woke up, the house was empty and I was relieved that my mom was nowhere near me. My head wasn't hurting a bad as it was earlier. I made my way to my room and I reached under the bed for my guitar. A spent the whole night playing my guitar and writing lyrics. I finally found the inspiration I needed to write the song I've been wanting to write about Freddie all throughout the day.

I was finally ready to tell him. I texted Freddie to meet me in front of Seattle High after school the next day. I fell asleep, hoping that I was making the right decision.

* * *

**So I guess I left you guys with a cliffhanger. Yes, Sam is finally ready to tell Freddie how she feels about him. I must warn you, there will be a crasy twist coming up in the next chapter and the chapter after that one. This is where the story gets more interesting. Please review and tell me what you thought of this chapter. Personally, I'm not too happy with this chapter but I still hope you guys liked it nonetheless. :D**

**If you're wondering what songs I used in this chapter, the first one is "What I Really Wanna Say" by my favorite band, Varsity Fanclub. The other song is called "My Everything" by Push Play. They are really good songs in my opinion. Maybe cause I'm a sucker for love songs lol. And about the song that Sam wrote, I was going to post some of the lyrics and have you guys guess the song but I'd rather surprise you haha.  
**

**Okay, so I read all of your reviews and I made a list of all the stories you guys recommended. I promise to read them all and review them as soon as I can. :)**


	14. Chapter 13: Confessions Part 1

**So here is the... DUN DUN DUN... first Confessions chapter. The next couple of chapters will all take place in two days and it will pick up where the last chapter left off. So in this chapter, it's a Monday. I hope that wasn't confusing lol. A LOT will happen in the next few chapters. I'm so excited lol.**

**Thank you all for you amazing reviews. I was so excited for this chapter that I began working on it right away, hence why I updated sooner than I planned lol.**

**Anyways, enjoy part one of Confessions.**

* * *

Monday was going too slow for my liking. I wanted the final bell to just ring so that I could get to Seattle High. Sam texted me yesterday saying that she had something important to say to me. I was a nervous mess throughout the day, thinking of what Sam wanted to tell me that it was so important for me to meet her and her school.

I was beginning to think the worse. She was probably going to tell me that she had fun at the club the other day but that she only saw me as friend. Maybe she found a better looking guy at her school and thought it was necessary to tell me that she wanted to be with him so that I don't get my hopes up.

Or maybe she wanted to tell me that her feelings for me as just as strong as my feelings for her are. Maybe she wanted to start a relationship. But who was I kidding? She would never feel that way about me, ever. This would be like Carly all over again. Liking someone for so long only to get my heart broken. But it's different with Sam. When Carly rejected me, I coped with it and I got over it. If Sam were to hurt me, I don't know what I would do. I'd probably go insane because of how much I like her.

"Freddie," Gibby shouted right into my ear. I screamed.

"Gibby, what gives man?"

"You've been spacing out all day. What's wrong?"

We were having lunch in the cafeteria at our usual table. The rest of the AV club hung out with us too but they were too busy on playing games on their laptops. Usually, I would be on my laptop too, showing Gibby the latest video games but my mind was somewhere else.

"Nothing. Just thinking," I said, hoping that he wouldn't ask any more questions.

"About what?" he asked. I grunted and rolled my eyes. I didn't want to tell Gibby, of all people, that I like Sam. Wouldn't that be awkward? Having your best friend like the girl that bullied you for weeks? There was no way.

"Just...nothing."

"Tell me man. I'm curious," he pleaded.

"Fine," I said. "You know that girl that was stealing money from you?"

"Yeah, what about her?" he asked.

"Well...I kind of...like her," I said softly as I lowered my head. I didn't look Gibby directly in the eye. I knew he wouldn't be happy.

"What? Can you please explain?"

I told him everything. I explained to him that I met Sam at the cemetery and that I've been spending a lot of time with her. I told him about how much I started liking her and how she made me feel good. How she made me a happier person. The whole time, I was hoping, praying almost, that he wasn't upset with me for liking the person that bullied him for weeks.

"Wow...and you had no idea that she was the one taking my money?"

"Nope. I was really mad when I found out but she's a good person. She's working at the Groovy Smoothies now instead," I smiled. I really was proud of her for getting that job. It made me feel good about myself, knowing that I had a positive influence on her.

"She is...?"

"Yeah. If you want, I'll introduce you to her," I offered.

"No. No thanks. I'm good," he protested. He must have been really afraid of her because he had a mortified look on his face.

"Come on, Gibby. She said she's sorry for what she did to you."

He sat there for a minute, thinking about whether or not he should meet Sam. I would love for those two to get along. He's my best friend after all.

"Okay fine," he said before the bell rang and we all had to get to our next class.

* * *

The final bell finally ran and I rushed out of school. I was walking as fast as my legs could take me and my hands were shaking. I could feel my heart pound hard against my chest as I got closer to Seattle High. I didn't know what to expect.

When I finally reached Seattle High, there was a crowd forming in front of the school. I saw a kid, who looked like a freshman, run over to his friend and whispered something in his ear. They both smiled and ran towards the crowd. I looked around and I couldn't find Sam anywhere. I approached the crowd and I heard another kid in glasses say something to the boy next to him.

"You know that girl Sam?" asked the kid with the glasses.

"You mean Sam Puckett?

"Yeah her," he nodded. "Mindy pushed her on her way out of school and now they are in a fight," he said and they high five'd each other.

Sam was in a fight? I didn't know what to think. The last thing I wanted was for her to get hurt. I was scared. I immediately pushed my way through the crowd until I was in the front. My heart was slowly breaking at what I was witnessing. Some girl, according to everyone cheering, her name was Mindy, pushed Sam against another girl and they both fell to the ground. That girl stood up, grabbed Sam by the hair and pushed her against another girl. Then, all three of them pushed her and surrounded her. Mindy started punching her in the face while the two other girls started kicking her.

"SAM!" I screamed and I tried to stop the fight but ANOTHER girl, a girl much bigger than me, grabbed me and held me back. I tried to get out of her grasp but she was too strong for me. I was forced to just stand there while this girl held me back and watch Sam get beat up by these three girls.

I expected Sam to stand up and fight them but she looked so fragile just laying there, letting them hurt her severely. She always seemed so strong, both physically and emotionally. Not once have I seen her cry. When they were done with her, the crowd went away and the girl that was holding me back finally let go of me.

"That's what you get for messing with me, bitch," said Mindy and kicked her in the stomach. All four girls glared at me before walking away, leaving me and Sam alone in front of her school.

"Oh God Sam," I cried out and I ran towards her. She was laying on her side on the ground, her hair covering her face. I picked her up and placed her head on my lap. I gently pushed her hair out of her face and I wanted to cry. Her bottom lip was busted, her nose was bleeding, and she had a black eye. I looked at her body and I noticed that her shirt was up, revealing her stomach. There were many bruises covering her stomach, some from the fight and some looked like they were fading. She probably got into a fight before but didn't tell me about it.

I picked up, wrapped my arm around her waist and I walked her home. I couldn't stand to see Sam like this. First, I found her passed out yesterday at the cemetery from all of the alcohol she drank and now I had to watch her get punched and kicked against my will. I wanted to know what was going on in her life that she had to go through all of this suffering that she didn't deserve.

We finally reached her house and I walked her upstairs. Her house was a complete mess. There were empty bottles of alcohol everywhere. They were probably her mom's. The entire place smelled like vomit and it looked like it hasn't been cleaned in months. Sam didn't say anything the whole walk to her house but I needed to know what was going on.

When we walked into her room, I laid her down on the bed and I sat next to her. I reached into my backpack and pulled out the first aid kit that my mom made me take to school every day.

"Thank you mom," I whispered to my self. I started cleaning all of the blood from her face until the bleeding stopped. I ran downstairs, grabbed some ice, and placed it on her black eye to stop the swelling. I looked at her and she looked like she was ready to crack.

"How are you feeling, Sam?" I asked in a whispered. She sat up and I saw something I never thought I'd ever see. She started crying. It wasn't a small cry, her face was getting wet from all of the tears there were coming out of her eyes.

"I- I- I hate my life," she cried. "My mom doesn't care about me. No- no one at school likes me. My dad is gone. I want to die!"

"No Sam. Please don't say that," I pleaded and I took her hand, lacing my fingers with hers.

"It's true. My dad is gone. He was the only one that cared about me. Before my dad died,my life was fine. My mom didn't get drunk everyday. She didn't hit me, she didn't kick me. She would babysit and now, she sleeps with men for a living."

"What? You're mom beats you up?" I asked. Then it all came clear to me. It all made sense. When I met her, those weren't cuts because she fell. Those cuts on her arms were because her mom hit her. I let go of her hand and pulled her into a tight hug. I could feel my shirt get wet from all of her tears.

"Yeah... and... and Mindy! She only hates me because we went out with the same guy over a year ago. We got into an argument a while back an- and that's why she beat me up today. And my dad. My dad was a good man. He didn't do anything wrong. Some gangsters were fighting and he tried to stop them. One of them pulled a knife and stabbed him to death right in front of me. God I want to die," she cried harder and louder. I pulled her closer. It was so painful to hear her say those words.

"Don't every say that Sam. You have me," I whispered in her ear. "I'll always be there for you. If you ever need someone to talk to, I'll be right here. I'm not going anywhere."

"You promise?" she sniffled.

"I promise."

I laid her back down on her bed and we stayed silent. There really wasn't much to talk about. I think she was just thankful that I was there with her, helping her get well and promising that I'll always be there for her no matter that. And it's true. I'd do anything for her.

Before I knew it, the sky was dark and I had to get home. I didn't want to worry my mom too much.

"Sam?" I whispered as I nudged her gently. "I have to go."

"No," she whined. I could hear her voice crack and she was ready to cry again. "Don't leave me..."

I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to worry my mom but I also didn't want to leave Sam alone. What if her mom came home and started beating her again. I had to be there for her. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed Gibby's number.

"Hey Gibby. Can you do me a favor? If my mom calls your house, can you tell her that I'm sleeping over? I have an emergency and I can't stay home tonight... I'll explain it all at school okay? Thanks Gibby."

After I hung up on Gibby, I began to dial my house number.

"Hello mom? Look, me and Gibby have an... uh... important project to work on and we're still not done. I'm gonna sleep over at his house okay? Yes the phone number is on your phone book mom. Yes, I'll be careful and yes they have healthy food. Okay thanks mom."

I hung up on my mom and I turned to look at Sam. She had a small smile on her face. She patted the space next to her and I awkwardly sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Thanks," she whispered.

"You're welcome. So um... I'll just sleep on the floor," I suggested. I could my cheeks getting warmer.

"Just... sleep here," she suggested. Awkwardly, I laid down next to her, her back facing me. After a few seconds, I felt myself getting moer comfortable.

With everything that happened, she never told me what she needed to tell me so badly and I wanted to tell her about how much I like her but I didn't want to add more to her plate. She was going through so much already.

"Goodnight, Sam."

"Goodnight"

* * *

**Wow that actually turned out better than I expected even though it's one of my shortest chapters. What did you guys think? I bet some of you are a bit upset that Sam didn't tell him that she likes him hey, I said there was going to be a crazy twist and there was. Stupid Mindy decided to get her friends and gang up on Sam. But don't worry. Sam WILL tell Freddie. It could be next chapter or the one after the next. you never know lol.  
**

**Part two of the Confessions chapters will have another crazy twist in the end. Don't forget to please review and let me know your thoughts on this chapter. :)**


	15. Chapter 14: Confessions Part 2

**Hey everyone. Thank you so much for your reviews on the last chapter. Seems like y'all really liked it. I know it sucks that Sam had to get beat up like that. I know she's a strong girl but I doubt she is strong enough to take on three people at once. But the ending was cute. Freddie is such a hero. LOL :)**

**Anyways, who watched iFAP. Honestly, it was hilarious, especially with the whole Spencer and Gibby's mom plot, but it kind of bothered me how it seemed like Dan was making fun of Britney Spears. That girl reminded be of her and of Kesha for some reason hahaha. Overall it was a great episode and it really inspired me to update my other story, Summer Vacation, soon. I have many awesome things in store for you with that story. :D**

**Well, please enjoy the second part of Confessions.**

**Ps. I feel like I must say this since I will be using one of my favorite songs in this chapter. I do not own iCarly nor do I own Demi Lovato (I prefer Selena though hahaha.) I will be using a Demi Lovato song in this chapter. I think she's an amazing singer, the most talented Disney girl right now. And besides, when I heard this song, it really reminded me of what Sam feels for Freddie in this story... so yeah lol. **

* * *

I woke up and fluttered my eyes open the next day as memories from yesterday's fight flooded my head. My whole body ached from all of the kicks and punches that Mindy and her stupid gang threw at me. They just added more to the pain because of my mother beating me up earlier and it was unbearable. I started stretching when I felt someone's back against mine. I quickly turned around and Freddie's back was facing me. I wanted to just grab him right there and them and just hold him as tight as my body would allow me. But all I could do was smile at him. It pained me when I saw him watching the fight. I didn't want him to see me like that. But he was amazing afterward when he took me home and cleaned me up. He even stayed the night, despite his over protective mother.

I stood up, carefully, not wanting to wake up Freddie. Despite the pain all over my body, I felt free. For the first time since my dad died, I felt like a great weight had been lifted off my chest. It must have been when I finally let it all out. My emotions, my tears, and my fears. Everything. After Mindy and her friends jumped me, I finally cracked. All of those tears and emotions that I was holding back just built up inside me and I exploded. I told Freddie everything. He didn't say much except that would always be there for me and that was a promise. He held me in his arms and I wanted to stay that way for as long as we could.

Looking at myself in the bathroom mirror, I panicked. I had bruises all over my face, my lip was busted, and I had a black eye. I couldn't go to school or to work like this. I sighed, going back out to pick out my clothes and walking back in so that I could take a shower. When I was done, I dried up and opened one of my drawers, taking out a bottle of liquid foundation. In a matter of seconds, all of the bruises on my face were covered but I still had the busted lip and black eye. I couldn't do much about the lip but if I had to go out, I'd have to wear sunglasses.

I looked at my reflection one last time and I walked out of the bathroom, wearing a stripped, long sleeved shirt under a t-shirt with a big peace sign in the middle, some blue jeans, and my high top sneakers. When I entered the room, I saw Freddie, lying on his back with his hands under his head. His eyes were focused on the ceiling, not noticing that I was in the room for about a minute.

"Hey," I said, softly but loud enough to snap him from his thoughts. He took his eyes off the ceiling and smiled when he looked at me. How can something so simple like a smile make me weak at the knees?

"Hey," he got up and stood in front of me. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better," I walked away from him and sat on the bed. He followed and sat next to me.

"Your bruises," he whispered and brought his hands to my cheek. I almost closed my eyes and leaned into his hand but I contained myself. Instead, I lowered my head so that I was looking at my worn out shoes.

"I have some make up in my bathroom just in case...," I said, softly. "Hey! Are you going to school?"

He checked the time from his phone. "Hm... it's still early but... I don't want to go home to change and I don't want to go school and have Gibby wonder why I'm wearing the same clothes as yesterday."

"Do you want to stay? I'm not going to school or work today. Look at me," I said, looking into his eyes in a pleading manner. I really wanted to spend the day with him. I just wanted to have one day without worrying about my mom beating me up. Just one day in pure peace and no drama. It wasn't much to ask.

"Do you want me to stay?" his eyes didn't leave mine.

"Y-yes, please," I answered and I could feel my face getting warmer.

"Okay then," he smiled. "I'll stay. I could use a day off."

We laughed for a moment but I quickly stopped and looked at him seriously. "Thanks, Freddie. For everything."

He flashed me that smile that has been driving me crazy lately and he leaned in to give me a tight hug. I closed my eyes, trying to savor the moment. When he pulled back, his eyes were focused on something behind me. I turned around and I saw my guitar leaned against the wall in a standing position.

"Is that your? Do you play the guitar?" he asked. I looked at him and then back at my guitar. Standing up, I reached for it and sat back down, next to Freddie. Was I ready to tell him about one of the most important things in my life? I shook the doubt away.

"Yeah...my dad taught me how to play when I was little. I stopped playing after my dad died," I held my guitar closely and looked down sadly.

"Would it be okay with you if I asked you to play it for me?" he asked. I looked at him for a moment. This was the perfect opportunity to tell him how I feel about him, indirectly of course. After what happened yesterday, I wasn't ready to tell him about my feelings for him yet.

"Actually, I started playing again a little while ago. This is the most recent song I wrote," I said and picked up a guitar pick from my nightstand. I had the song, music and lyrics, memorized because I would play it for hours at a time. I felt as if it was permanently engraved in my heart. It was probably the best song I have ever written. I put the pick on the strings and I began to play. I started playing a slow yet steady tune as I closed my eyes and began to sing, pouring my heart out to him.

_My state of mind has finally got the best of me_

_I need you next to me_

_I'll try to find a way that I can get to you_

_Just wanna get to you_

_The world I see is perfect now,_

_you're all around_

_With you I can breathe_

_Until you're mine, I have to find_

_A way to fill this hole inside_

_I can't survive without you here by my side_

_Until you're mine, not gonna be_

_Even close to complete_

_I won't rest until you're mine_

_Mine..._

_Alone inside, I can only hear your voice_

_Ringing through the noise_

_Can't fight my mind, keeps on coming back to you_

_Always back to you_

_Wanted something out of reach_

_It's killing me, you're all I see, yeah_

_Until you're mine, I have to find_

_A way to fill this hole inside_

_I can't survive without you here by my side_

_Until you're mine, not gonna be_

_Even close to complete_

_I won't rest until you're mine_

_Mine..._

_Just stop wondering_

_If we were meant to be_

_Forget about fate and just hold me_

_I'm ready to begin_

_The waiting has to end_

_Right now, today_

_I've gotta find a way_

_Until you're mine, I have to find_

_A way to fill this hole inside_

_I can't survive without you here by my side_

_Until you're mine, not gonna be_

_Even close to complete_

_I won't rest until you're mine_

_Mine..._

_My state of mind has finally got the best of me_

_I need you next to me_

As I finished the song, I reopened my eyes to look at him again. He looked... speechless. As if he were in awe. I couldn't help the blush that appeared on my cheeks. The way he was looking at me was enough to drive me insane all over again. He remained silent.

"Well?" I said, putting down my guitar. His silence was beginning to scare me.

"That was... amazing," he said faintly. "I- I'm speechless. That was absolutely... beautiful."

I could feel my face getting hotter and hotter. "You really think so?"

"Yeah. And you wrote that yourself?" I nodded.

"This was always a hobby of mine. It's how my dad and I bonded. I guess I was just too upset over his death that I just stopped playing. And my mom would blame me and my guitar for his death. The day he died, we were going to a shop to buy guitar strings because of them broke," I explained, showing Freddie the missing string on my guitar.

"So what made you play again?"

"I guess something inspired me to start again," I half lied. It was true, he did inspire me but I wasn't sure if I was ready to tell him just yet. After the fight, my mind was filled with so much doubt.

"That's good," he said as a smiled appeared on his face. "You're amazing and talented. That was a beautiful song."

"Thanks," I looked away so he wouldn't see the blush on my cheeks. We stayed silent for a while. I didn't really know what else to tell him. It's been getting hard to talk to him lately without the vicious butterflies in my stomach that threatened to make me puke. Did I really like him THAT much?

"Hey... you know what?" he broke the silence. I looked up at him, wondering what he wanted to say. "I'm need to show you something. Is that okay with you?"

My heart began to pound. What did he want to show me? It must have been important. I walked to one of my drawers and I pulled out a pair of sunglasses. They weren't the glamorous kind that most girls like but they were just fine. I put them on and we exited my house.

* * *

My body was in so much pain that it was difficult for me to walk a steady pace. Freddie took my hand, intertwined his fingers with mine and we walked slowly. I didn't know where we were going but I was sure he knew what he was doing. Throughout the whole walk, all I could think about was the hand that was holding mine. Was he holding it because I needed a friend after everything that happened? Or was it because he felt the same way? I tried to not get my hopes too high.

Sometime around noon, we stopped in front of a building, The Bushwell Plaza. I've seen the building many times on my way to work but I didn't know what this build had anything to do with what Freddie wanted to show me. He lead me inside and we were greeted by a very angry man who threw muffins at us. I wasn't to sit there and take it. I didn't care if my body ached, I picked a muffin and threw it back at him, landing on his face. Freddie laughed and I soon joined him. It was nice to finally feel a sense of happiness after everything I've been through.

We took an elevator all the way to the eighth floor of the building. He stopped in front of an apartment and turned to look at me.

"This is where I live," he said softly before opening the door and leading me inside. His apartment was so much nicer than my house. It was clean, first of all. I didn't see any traces of alcoholic beverages, everything was in it's place, and the whole place smelled like cinnamon. I felt an incredible sense of warmth in the apartment. We stood in the middle of the living room while I looked around, admiring the neat place.

I heard footsteps coming from the hallway and I began to get nervous. An older lady entered the living room and looked so mortified when she saw me and Freddie.

"Freddie," she cried. "What are you doing? Shouldn't you be at school? Why didn't you call me? Who is this girl?"

"Mom, mom calm down. This is Sam... my friend," he said. I couldn't help the flash of hurt that went through me when he said that I was his friend. Maybe he didn't feel the same way about me.

She took my hand shook it firmly. "Nice to meet you Sam."

"Uh... you too"

"Dear, why are you wearing sunglasses?" she gave me a weird look. I gulped.

"Because I feel like it," I said shyly. She quickly shrugged it off and turned to face her son.

"So Freddie, I called Gibby's house this morning. His mom said that you didn't sleep over. Where were you?" she snapped at Freddie. She had a panicked look on her face.

"Mom! Don't get mad. It's a long story. I'll explain later. I uh, I have to take Sam to school," he lied so she wouldn't be all over him. "I'm just going to change okay?"

"Okay Freddie but we're having a serious conversation when you get back from school," she demanded. She didn't seem too protective but she was so intimidating. No wonder Freddie was so scared of her.

He disappeared into his room, leaving me alone with his mother. It was incredibly awkward. She turned around and sat down on the couch then patted the spot next to her. I sat down, not knowing what to expect.

"So you're a friend of Freddie's?" she asked. That flash of hurt that I felt earlier resurfaced itself.

"Yeah... why?" I asked.

"Oh no reason dear. He didn't tell me he made a new friend," she sounded hurt.

"Well no offense but he told me you kind of over protect him. Maybe he feels that he needs to do things on his own and not have someone baby him. How old is he? Seventeen?"

"Young lady, how dare you talk to me like that?"

"I'm just telling you the truth," I assured her. "You know, he's a good guy. A great guy and he's been an amazing friend to me."

Slowly, I took off my sunglasses, revealing my black eye from the fight. She gasped at the sight.

"Oh my gosh. What happened to you? Are you alright?" she asked in a concerned, motherly voice. I couldn't help feeling a little jealous of Freddie. Sure, she was protective but at least his mother cared about him.

"Yeah, I'm fine. After school, some girls jumped me and Freddie found me. He took me home and took care of me. I was so scared that I didn't want him to leave and well he spend the night at my house. We didn't do anything, if you're wondering that," I said to her.

"Wow, my Freddie is such a gentleman," her eyes began to water. "I guess I can't be mad at him now. He did something good."

"Yeah...," I whispered. "You know, he says you're very protective but I think he's lucky. My mom doesn't care about me much. She's not... well."

"Well, any friend of Freddie's is more than welcomed here. If you ever need anything, you know where we live now."

"Thanks," I said as I watched her walk into the kitchen. She opened the freezer and pulled out an ice pack. She sat back down next to me.

"Here. If you put this on your eye for twenty minutes every hour, it's bound to heal soon," she said, trying to shove the ice pack on my eye. Freddie wasn't kidding. She was crazy but I appreciated her help.

"It's okay. I'll take it," I said and I took the ice pack from her and held it to my eye so she would stop nagging me.

"Sam?" I turned around and I saw Freddie, wearing a completely different outfit. He motioned me to follow him and I quickly stood up and followed him into the hallway.

"I want to show you something," he said and took my hand, leading me to the other end of the hallway. We stopped at a fire escape and he opened the window, signaling me to go inside. I stepped in and leaned in on the railing, enjoying the nice breeze.

"So what did you want to show me?" I asked.

"This," he said. "This is my fire escape. It's very special to me. I'm the only one who ever sets foot in here. It's kind of the place I go to when I need to escape or just think and be alone."

"And you wanted to show me this because it's special to you?"

"Pretty much," he nodded. I didn't know what to say. I was touched that he would do something like this to show me that he trusted me. I smiled at him as he stood next to me gently pulled me into a hug, careful to not hurt any of my bruises. We stayed there for God knows how long.

* * *

We walked out of the apartment building, hand in hand, without saying much. Just having his company was enough for me. A few minutes later, we stopped in front of small empty building. It looked so familiar but I couldn't put my finger on it.

"Where are we?" I asked him, curiously.

"You told me about your dad. I think it's only fair for me to tell you about mine," he gave me a sad smile.

"Freddie," I said quietly. "You don't have to..."

"No. I want to," he assured me.

"Okay." I trusted him.

"My dad died in a car accident. We were walking towards the store to buy tools for our studio and I saw a car coming our way. It was going to hit me but my dad pushed me out of the way. The car hit him and he died before he even made it to the hospital. He was killed by a drunk driver," he said, his voice started to sound higher and I could he wanted to cry.

"It's okay," I whispered to him and this time, it was me who held him in my arms. I held him as tight as I could, ignoring the pain from my bruises. I finally let go if him and I stared into his eyes. They were so full of sadness. After taking a few deep breaths, he calmed himself down and began to speak again.

"Okay, this is why I brought you here. This used to be our fencing studio, The Fencing Bensons. My dad owned it and he was a great trainer. The day he died, he just got paid and we went out to buy fencing supplied. Now that he's gone, I don't have the skill or the money to take over the business," he explained sadly.

Something inside my head clicked. No wonder this place looked so familiar. Doug used to train here. His obsession with fencing was the reason he was so distant and the lack of communication between us was obvious. So we broke up.

"Your dad owned this place?" I asked, completely shocked. "Uh...someone from my school trained here."

"Really? Who?" he looked at me curiously.

"No one important," I mumbled. "Thanks for telling me Freddie."

I reached up and I wrapped my arms around his neck and he held me by the waist. Our bodies were as close to each other as they could possibly get and I could feel his heartbeat increase in speed just like mine.

"So now we know everything about each other," he whispered into my ear. Chills ran all along my spine.

"Yeah," I said, lifting my head up so that I could look into his eyes. He smiled at me and I gladly returned it.

Slowly, he leaned in towards my face and he closed his eyes. My heart pounded harder and harder as he got closer. I startted to lean in too, closing my eyes in the process. I could feel his breath on my face and it gave me more chills. He was going to kiss me. I was freaking out. My first kiss. Just as our lips were barely touching, a familiar voice interrupted our moment.

"Sam? Freddie?"

We both turned our heads to see who was calling our names. There he was. Doug Totter was standing right in front of us with a large bag next to him. He looked shocked and confused. Perfect, I thought. Just as I was ready to show Freddie how I felt about him. He showed up and ruined everything.

"Doug?" Freddie and I said in unison. What? Freddie knew him?

"Y-you know him?" I asked Freddie.

"I guess I should be asking you the same thing," he replied.

Dough approached us and the three of us stood there, in front of the former fencing studio in pure awkward silence.

* * *

**Whoahhh. Did you guys see THAT coming? Doug, Sam's ex boyfriend is back int eh picture. And Freddie seems to know him too. Anyways, Freddie's mom seems to like Sam. In the next chapter, you will see some mother and son moments and of course, there will be some Seddie.**

**Don't forget to please drop a review and let me know your thoughts on this chapter. THANKS :)**


	16. Chapter 15: Confessions Part 3

**So, I am VERY excited right now. I think I got 17 reviews in the last chapter, which makes it the most reviewed chapter of YLYW yet. That is soo awesome. Thank you all so much. I do like that some of you were surprised when Doug came into the picture LOL. He will shake things up a bit but it won't be too crazy or twisted. And he won't be in the story too long either.**

**Okay so this chapter, they will be a little bit of Seddie but it will mainly be about Freddie being jealous of Sam and Doug's former relationship. I really hope you guys like it. Sorry if the beginning of the chapter is a bit... bad. Writer's Block is a bitch lol. Well, I still hope you enjoy it. :)**

* * *

I didn't know what to think the moment I saw Doug. I was ready to tell Sam about how much she means to me. I was ready to give her my first kiss and then he had to come and ruin it all. To make matters worse, he and Sam seemed to know each other.

I don't like Doug. Not one bit. He used to train at my dad's studio and while my dad was able to tolerate him, I couldn't stand him. He was always so cocky and big headed, thinking he could beat anyone and everyone. And he thought he was so smooth with the girls which irritated me even more.

What was he doing back in Seattle? From what my dad told me, he graduated from high school in June and went to college in New York. I thought he was gone for good. I couldn't help but wonder how he and Sam knew each other. Maybe she was talking about Doug earlier when she told me that someone from her school used to train at The Fencing Benson's. I was beginning to get afraid of what kind of history they had together.

"Totter," I said flatly. "What are you doing in Seattle. I thought you were in New York."

I quickly turned to look at Sam. She had the most confused look on her face. She was probably just as confused as I was, wondering how Doug and I know each other. I knew we had to talk about it later.

"I was, but things happened and I'm taking the semester off. So how do you and Sam know each other?" he asked, crossing his arms. He looked jealous and my worries grew.

"None of your business," snapped Sam. My eyes widened and her sudden outburst. My curiosity only grew.

"Calm down Sammie. Just wanted to know," he shrugged. Sammie?

"Sammie?" I asked, looking at Doug.

"Don't call me that. You know I don't like it when people call me that," she snapped at him again.

"Okay okay," he said, raising his hands in defeat. His attention came abck to me. "I came to visit the studio and see how your dad was doing but it seems like the place was taken down."

"Yeah...," I looked at my dad's studio sadly. "He uh... passed away."

"Oh... sorry about that man. What happened?" he asked. I knew that I had to tell Doug about my dad's death because he was one of my dad's best students. Despite his cockiness, he really looked up to my dad and I owed him that much.

"Can we go some place else?" I asked both of them, not wanting to tell him about my dad in front of the former fencing studio. Both of them nodded. Sam was incredibly quiet though.

We arrived at the park and the three of us found a nice spot under a tree. We sat down, forming a circle so the three of us could face each other. Things were very awkward between us and I didn't know where to start. The thought of sharing the story of my dad's death was depressing. I could tell Doug was getting impatient so he just turned his attention to Sam.

"So how do you two know each other?" he asked her again. She rolled her eyes.

"I already told you, Doug. It's none of your damn business," she answered.

"Actually," I interrupted. I figured I'd tell him so he could leave her alone and stop asking questions. "We met two months ago..."

I looked at her, silently asking for her permission. She sighed and nodded, allowing me to continue. "We met at the cemetery. Our dad's graves are right next to each other. My dad died in a car accident..."

Possessively, I grabbed her hand and held it tightly. It took her two months to tell me about her dad and even though she gave me permission, I felt like I was blabbing our story to the world. Like I was betraying her trust. Not only that, I really wanted Doug to just go away and leave me alone with her.

"I see...," he said awkwardly, looking at our hands. "Did you know that Sam and I went out?"

My eyes widened and I felt my heart sink. Sam and Doug were boyfriend and girlfriend? Now she'd never want to be with me. As much as I hated Doug, I had to face the facts. He was better looking and stronger than me. He knew how to stand up for himself and I was nothing but a wimp who let Steven and his gang bully me around. I let go of Sam's hand and I began fiddling with my fingers.

"Dude!" she glared at Doug.

"Well it's true," he smirked. He probably told me about their relationship on purpose to annoy me. Well, he succeeded.

"Anyways, can I talk to you Sam?" he looked at me as if he was annoyed. "Alone?"

I anger and jealousy only grew but I couldn't do much about it. Doug stood up and offered to help Sam up but she just slapped his hand away. I smirked. She turned to me and whispered, "Don't go anywhere," before she stood up and walked towards the swings with Doug. I watched them as she took a swing and he sat on the swing next to hers. I could feel my heart break all over again. Two days in a row, I felt this unbearable pain in my chest and I just couldn't take it anymore.

All I could think about as I watched them swing and talk was how much I wanted to be in Doug's position. I was supposed to be on that swing next to her. I was supposed to be talking to her. I wanted to hold her, kiss her, and tell her that with me, everything would be okay. But instead, she was talking to HIM.

I don't know how long they were talking but it felt like hours. I just wanted it to stop so she could come back to me and tell me everything was okay and I could FINALLY tell her how much I like her. I was playing with the grass underneath me, trying not to look at Sam and Doug as they talked but it was hard. I looked up and Doug was no longer on his swing. He was leaning towards Sam. I felt my heart quicken it's pace. My heart broke completely. He was leaning in to kiss her and she didn't move. It was too much to walk so before they even kissed, I ran out of the park as fast as I could, not looking back.

* * *

I ran straight back to Bushwell Plaza and into Carly's apartment. She was in the kitchen with Spencer, making Spaghetti Tacos. Spencer was so random and weird but I wouldn't have it any other way.

"Hey...," I greeted them. Carly turned around and a smile spread across her face. She ran to me and gave me a hug. Hugging Carly was comforting but it didn't make me feel special and warm inside like Sam's hugs.

"Hey Freddie. Where have you been all day?" she asked and led me to the kitchen. Spencer gave me a plate with three tacos and I sat on the chair next to Carly's. He went up to the third floor to work on a sculpture while I stayed in the kitchen with Carly.

"It's a really long story," I breathed out. I rested my chin on top of the palm of my hand and played with my spaghetti with the other. I wasn't really hungry. All I could think about was Sam and how she was probably laughing and having a good time with Doug.

"What happened? You seem more upset," asked Carly as she took a small bite out of her taco. I took a deep sigh.

"Yesterday, I was supposed to meet Sam in front of her school and when I got there, some girls were beating her up...," I could feel a huge lump in my throat. Just thinking about Sam getting hurt like that tore me up inside.

"Oh my Gosh," she gasped. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine. I took her home and I helped clean her up. She was really upset so I stayed with her all night. Today, she was still a bit upset about it so we spent the day together," I said, still playing with my food.

"Aw then why are you sad? I thought you liked her?"

"I do, Carly. You have no idea how much I like her but when I took to where my dad's studio used to be, Doug showed up. Remember him?" I asked her. Carly knew who Doug was because I took her to the fencing studio last year and he tried to hit on her. She rejected him though.

"Oh yeah! That guy that tried to hook up with me. That jerk," she huffed and crossed her arms. "He was so obnoxious but what does this have to do with the whole Sam thing?"

"Well, it turns out that Doug is her ex boyfriend," I said sadly.

"Whoa, they went out?" she asked, completely shocked. "What a small world."

Too small.

"Yeah and now...they are at the park, talking. I saw him lean in for a kiss and I lost it. I had to leave," I closed my eyes, trying hard to not cry.

"Aw Freddie," she said and gave me a sympathetic hug.

"I feel like I lost her," I whispered.

"Maybe you haven't," she pulled away to look at me. "Maybe it was all a misunderstanding. You have to let her explain."

"I guess. So how was school?" I asked, trying to change the subject though I knew that nothing could take my mind off of Sam.

"Boring. I'm going on a date with Griffin later," she said as we made our way to the couch. I left my untouched food on the table.

"You know... me and Sam were one second away from sharing a kiss before Doug showed up. I think he knows I like her because he brought up their relationship and he saw that it bothered me."

"Ugh... asshole. Why can't he just leave people alone?"

"I don't know, Carly. But hey, I'm gonna go home and try to clear my head," I said, getting up and making my way to the door.

"Are you sure you're okay, Freddie?" she asked just as I turned the knob and opened the door.

"I'll try to be strong," I said with a small smile and I left the apartment.

* * *

I walked into my apartment and what I saw shocked me. On the kitchen table were many of my favorite snacks and sodas. The kind of food that my mom pretty much forced me to not eat since my dad died. I must have been hallucinating because my mom has become so overprotective, I didn't think she would ever go back to being normal.

"Mom?" I called out to her. She came out from the hall with a tray of Oreo cookies and a tall glass of milk.

"Freddie! You're home," she sounded excited. She placed the tray on the table and wrapped me in a gentle hug.

"Mom, what's wrong? What's with all these snacks?" I asked, curiously.

"There for you sweetie," she said sweetly. What was going on here?

"But why? I thought your didn't want me to eat junk food anymore? You said you wanted me to be healthier so I could live longer!"

"I know Freddie but I had a little talk with your friend earlier today," she said in a serious tone.

"What happened?"

"Well, I was a bit upset that you didn't tell me you had a new friend but she said that you haven't said anything because maybe I overprotect you. She told me about her fight and what you did for her. That was really gentleman like of you Freddie. You make me so proud," she said, tears streaming down her face as she embraced me in another hug.

"Mom...,"

"Let me finish Freddie," she said and we sat down on the couch. "I guess I overprotected you because I was afraid to loose you. I already lost one of the most important men in my life and I don't want to loose the other one. I was afraid that if you are unhealthy or if you went out too much, you'd get hurt just like your father. But this girl showed me that you're just fine and that all we need is communication."

I was stunned by her words. Sam brought my mom back to her senses?

"So what does this mean?" I asked her.

"It means," she sniffled. "It means that you are allowed to do whatever you want, eat whatever you want, and hang out with whoever you please just as long as you tell me what you're doing and where you're going, okay? And don't do anything stupid Freddie, please. I trust you."

"I promise mom," I said and hugged her. My mom sure knew how to make things better but I felt like nothing could ever lift my spirits up the way Sam does.

"And that girl seems nice. I think she likes you."

"No, mom... she doesn't" I let go of her and I looked away.

"What do you mean, Freddie?"

I stood up and made my way towards the hall. I needed to be alone to think. "It means that today, we ran into her ex and now she's with him..."

"Oh I'm sorry dear. I'm here if you want to talk... wait! Did you even go to school today Freddie?" she asked, angrily as she stood up and placed her hands on her hips.

"No I didn't mom. I'll make up all of my missed assignments tomorrow okay? Right now, I just need to clear my head, okay?"

"Okay...," she said quietly and I walked over to the fire escape. I sat down on the lawn chair that I was in the middle. Sighing deeply, I began to think of everything that happened these past two days. From watching Sam get hurt in a way that I couldn't bare to watch to watching her ex boyfriend kissing her. I felt like I lost her.

But I couldn't stand here and allow some jerk to just steal her away. Me and Sam have been through so much together in such a short amount of time. It couldn't be all for nothing. There had to be a reason why she came into my life after my dad's death. There had to be a reason why she helped me get over my silly crush on Carly and develop these strong feelings for her. A reason why I was there to heal her cuts and make her feel better after getting beaten up by those mean girls and her horrible mother. It couldn't be all just so she could go back to her ex boyfriend.

But I lost all hope as I felt my eyes watering...

* * *

**Awww that was kind of sad.**

**So I'm not a big fan of this chapter but I really hope I was able to capture Freddie's emotions. And don't worry, this chapter is only Freddie's side of the whole Sam and Doug thing. He only THINKS that Doug kissed her but in the next chapter, you will get to see Sam's side of teh story. The next one won't be so sad, if you know what I mean. ;)**

**Tell me what you guys think by rewviewing this chapter. Anyways, I have to go to sleep. For some reason, I've been going to sleep like at 3 in the monring and waking up around 8 or 9 everyday. I am super tired but I just can't fall asleep. Oh my life. Okay, until next chapter. :)**

**PS. The Kid's Choice Awards are coming. Who's excited? I AM. Supposedly, Miranda Cogrove will be performing before the award show. What do you guys think of her new song, Kissin' U? I actually kind of like it but it doesn't really seem like her, if that made any sense. The song is just so different from her other songs like "Stay My Baby." The music video is cute though lol. Maybe someday, Jennette will perform at an award show. She has an amazing voice. :)  
**


	17. Chapter 16: Confessions Part 4

**Hey everyone... GUESS WHAT!!!! You Lose You Win is officially my mos reviewed story yet. It beat iDavid. Thank you all sooo freaking much. ^_^**

**Anyways, who watched the KCA's and Victorious? Of course, I did. iCarly won an award. Congratulations to them. Justin Bieber's performance was great. He's a very talented kid and man he can sing. Katy Perry getting slimed was hilarious. Miranda did a pretty okay job for her her first performance. And congratulations to Matt Shively and Noah Munck for winning that ultimate dance battle lol. Okay now on to Victorious, did you guys like it? Personally, I loved the pilot. Victoris Justice is a great singer and the cast is pretty amazing. Well, I like all of them except for Ariana Grande. I dunno why but I'm not a big fan of hers for some reason lol.**

**Okay, now about this story. The time has finally come. This is the last part of the Confessions chapters and let me tell you, it's gonna be pretty interesting.... hehe.**

**Enjoy!!! :)**

* * *

"Don't go anywhere," I whispered to Freddie before me and Doug walked off together to talk.

Why did he have to come back? It's been almost a year since I last saw him and NOW he decided to just come and ruin the only good thing in my life right now. especially when he told Freddie that he and I went out. He totally did it to bother the both of us after Freddie took my hand.

We reached the swings. I sat on one and Doug took the one next to me. I just wanted to get this talk over and done with so I could go back to Freddie and FINALLY tell him what I've been wanting to tell him since yesterday. All these interruptions were getting old and I was tired of it. We sat in silence for a while and I kept glancing towards Freddie. He looked so upset and he was looking away. But every now and then, I'd catch him looking at us.

"So, what do you want? More importantly, what are you doing back in Seattle huh?" I asked him as I pushed myself so that I was swinging back and forth.

He sighed. "It's a long story. I got carried away last semester and now I lost my scholarship. So I'm back and I'm going to be taking classes at the community college and hopefully I can go back to New York in the fall," he said.

"Wow," I said sarcastically. He rolled his eyes and ignored my smart comment.

"Yea and I wanted to visit the fencing studio to let out some steam but it was taken down. So tell me, how do you and Freddie know each other. And don't tell me it's none of my business," he demanded. I glared at him but I finally gave in, knowing that the sooner I told him, the sooner this conversation would be over.

"My dad was murdered in December by a gangster. I visited his grave one day, and that's where I met Freddie. Like he said, his dad's grave is next to mine. We've been talking ever since," I said. I looked over at Doug and he seemed... jealous. Why would he be jealous? It wasn't like we had something special going on.

"I see. You two seem really close."

"Yeah...," I said softly.

After a few seconds of silence, he spoke again. "I have to tell you something, Sam. This is something that has been bothering me since I left Seattle for college."

"What is it?" I asked, half interested. Without even noticing, Doug was standing right in front of me, both of his hands on either side of the swing that I was on. I tried backing away a little bit but the swing seat restricted me. I couldn't really go anywhere.

"Don't struggle, Sam. Just listen to me," he said. "Ever since I left Seattle, I've been thinking about you a lot..."

"Ha. Like I believe you," I said, glaring at him.

"Look, I know I wasn't the best boyfriend and I'm sorry for that. I shouldn't have made fencing my priority. I neglected you and I was wrong. You're special, Sam," he whispered. I could feel my heart increasing in speed when he said those word. He sounded so sweet, gentle, and caring. Completely the opposite of what Doug is. It was strange to hear him say those word to me. I was speechless and I couldn't say anything to him. Why did he have to come back into my life just as I was ready to show Freddie how I feel about him. The last thing I needed was guy drama.

Doug looked at me intensely. He slowly reached up and caressed my face. I felt him grab my sunglasses and he slowly took them off, revealing my black eye. I didn't know how to feel. All of this was so strange to me. I could handle Freddie being like this towards me but Doug has always been so strong and rarely showed any romantic feelings. I didn't like it one bit.

"What happened?" he asked softly as he continued to caress my cheek.

"Doesn't matter," I responded and I moved my head so that Doug was no longer touching it. I felt his hand on my cheek again and he lifted m head up slightly so that I was looking at him. He let go of me and his hand went back to the swing. I slowly started to lean in and I panicked. He was trying to kiss me. This was NOT good.

"Give me a second chance," he whispered and tried to close the distance between us. This was not happening. Before he could kiss me, I pushed him away, roughly and I stood up.

"What the hell, Doug?" I yelled. He looked stunned.

"What do you mean what the hell?" he yelled back. "Don't you want me back?"

"No! Don't you get it. What we had is over," I said as I looked around. Freddie was no where in sight. He probably saw me and Doug and just decided to leave. "See what you did, you dumb ass. He left!"

"Who Freddie? Oh... I get it. This is all about him huh? You like that little nerd huh?" he said and looked like he was about to laugh. "What the hell do you see in him?"

What do I see in him? Freddie is the most amazing person I have ever met and Doug probably ruined any chances of us forming a relationship. I wanted to push Doug against a tree and beat the shit out of him for trying to kiss me.

"Don't call him that," I screamed. "Freddie has been nothing but sweet to me. He's done more for me in two months than you ever did throughout that pathetic excuse of a relationship we had. You know what? I'm done with you."

With that, I ran out of the park as fast as I could. I had no clue where Freddie was and I didn't want to walk around the city looking for him. Not after leaving sunglasses at the park. I didn't want to walk around with a black eye. I stopped to catch my breath when I felt my phone vibrating. Oh great... it was a call from T-Bo. I forgot to tell him that I couldn't make it to work. I quickly answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Sam, you're late for work," said a panicked T-Bo. I grunted.

"I'm sorry T-Bo for not calling you earlier. I had an emergency yesterday and I can't make it to work today. I'll explain it tomorrow," I said, hoping that he wouldn't fire me.

"Hm... you're lucky I like you. You better have a good excuse tomorrow young lady and I expect you to seel twice as much bagels okay?" he asked seriously.

"Yes sir," I chuckled and hung up.

Now that was over and done with. I had to find Freddie and explain that nothing happened between me and Doug back in the park. I didn't know why I had to explain myself to him but I felt like I needed to. I had a good feeling where he might be.

* * *

I was in front of the Bushwell Plaza and I took a deep sigh before entering the building. Just as I walked in, the stupid doorman was ready to yell at me but I guess I scared him earlier so he didn't say anything. He his behind his newspaper instead and I just couldn't help the smirk on my face.

I finally reached the eighth floor and just as I was ready to knock on Freddie's door, the door behind me opened and Carly came out. I was a little surprised to see her but then I remembered that Freddie told me that she was his neighbor.

"Carly," I gave her a small smile.

"Hey Sam. Are you feeling okay?" she asked, looking at my black eye.

"Yeah, I'm good now," I said. "Do you know if Freddie is in his house by any chance?"

"Actually, he is. He left my house about half an hour ago. He seemed upset..." she said as if she was trying to send me hints that he was upset because of me.

"I think I know why...," I looked down. "He told you huh?"

"He did. He said that he saw you and Doug kiss, almost."

I knew it. Freddie must have thought that me and Doug actually kissed and it wasn't like that. I had to find him as soon as possible to explain. Does that mean that he feel the same as me? My heart pounded just thinking that he might feel the same.

"It wasn't like that. I swear. He tried to kiss me but I told him off," I explained.

"I believe you. I met Doug once. He's a total jerk face," she laughed. "Hey... do you like Freddie?"

I thought about it before telling her. I barely knew this girl but she didn't seem like most of the snooty kids from Ridgeway. She seemed real and I respected that. I felt like I could trust her right away. A smile formed on my face before I could answer her.

"I do...," I answered, looking at her directly in the eyes. "You have no idea."

"Aw. Well, go talk to him. And good luck," she smiled. "I have to go. My brother pretty much forced me to get him a smoothie."

"Thanks," I waved goodbye to her before I turned to face Freddie's door.

This is it, I thought and I knocked on the door.

* * *

The door opened and I was facing Freddie's mom. She motioned me to walk in.

"Hello, Sam," she said, surprised to see me. "What brings you here?"

"I need to talk to Freddie. Is he around?" I asked as I walked into the apartment. It sort of felt good to be back. The smell of cinnamon is something I could get used to.

"As a matter of fact he is," she said with a smile on her face. "He's in the fire escape. Are you here to talk to him about what happened with that boy?"

Was he really that upset that he had to tell everyone? Not that it bothered me but I was starting to feel like the bad guy in this situation.

"Yeah. I'm here to explain myself. It was all a misunderstanding," I said.

"Well then, I'm glad you're here sweetie. I'm sure he will be excited to see you."

"Thanks," I said and I took the walk down the hall and to the fire escape.

When I got to the fire escape, my heart was pounding harder than ever. I had to take a few deep breaths to try and calm myself down. I looked over and there he was, leaning on the balcony, looking at the sky. The sun was setting and it sure looked beautiful. I finally found the courange to step in and explain myself to him. I must have made a lot of noise because when I walked in, Freddie turned around. He looked surprised to see me. As if he didn't expect me to there.

"Hey...," I said, shyly. This was it. Now or never. I walked over to him so that I was standing next to him.

"Hey," he mumbled sadly.

"So why'd you leave the park? I told you not to go anywhere?" I asked him. I knew why he was upset but I wanted to hear him say it. He sighed.

"I... I..,"

"Be honest with me Freddie. Please," I said when I saw him hesitate.

"Okay," he looked away, not wanting to face me. "I kind of saw you and Doug."

"What?" I said. He was so quiet, I could barely hear him. But I heard him anyways. I just needed to hear it again. He turned and sat down on the lawn chair.

"I don't know," he said as he threw his hands in his face. He seemed frustrated. I walked over to him and sat down on the floor, next to the law chair.

"Look Freddie, I know you saw me and Doug," I said. I had a feeling he wasn't going to tell me anytime soon so I decided to make the first move. "I wanted to tell you that nothing happened between me and him. Whatever me and Doug had is in the past. It wasn't much of a relationship to begin with."

He finally looked at me. He seemed shocked. "Re-really?"

I nodded. "Doug was just too into fencing. He didn't pay attention to me. We never kissed or hug. We held hands but that was rare. You seriously think I wanted to go back to that?"

"I guess not," he said. "So... what happens now?"

"I don't know... you tell me, Freddie. I know why you ran away but I need to hear you say it."

He stood up and went back to the balcony, leaning on it. He sighed before I stood up so that I was next to him again.

"Sam, I left because I thought you and Doug kissed. I was jealous okay? Doug is better than me. Why would you want to be with me when you have him? I'm nothing but a wimp," he confessed. It hurt to hear him say that. Freddie was so much more than that to me.

"Damn it, Freddie. You are better than him. You've been there for me and took care of me. You were there when I needed you the most. Doug can't even compare to how amazing you've been to me. He's an asshole and you're not. You're the nicest person I've ever met. I don't care what people say about you. I like you for you," I said. I let it all out and it felt good. I looked at him and his mouth was open in shock.

"Y- you like me? I thought-."

"You thought wrong, Freddie," I interrupted.

"I guess, I did," he said, looking down in shame. I took both of his hands and turned him slightly so that we were facing each other. I intertwined my fingers with his and pulled him a little closer to me.

"Freddie, do you like me?" I asked, looking into his eyes, hoping that he would tell me.

"I like you, Sam," he smiled. "A lot."

I smiled back at him and wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. It felt so good to have him in my arms again. I felt like I belonged somewhere. Like I finally found that one person that every girl searches for their whole lives. We pulled back and I looked at him seriously.

"So what happens now?" it was my turn to ask this time.

"I don't know. I'd like for you to be my girlfriend," he said shyly. I couldn't help but give him a big smile.

"Okay," I said. His eyes widened.

"Okay? Really? You're being serious?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yes, Freddie. I'm being serious. I like you a lot too," I assured him and wrapped my arms around his neck again. We let of of each other and he sat on the lawn chair. He scooted over a little bit, making room for me and I quickly sat down next to him, wrapping my arms around him. His arms snaked around my waist as I leaned my head against his chest.

"I can't believe you're here with me," whispered Freddie.

"I can't believe it either," I whispered back. I lifted my head so that I was looking at him. "Remember yesterday when I asked you to meet me at my school?"

I felt his arms tighten around me. "Yeah..."

"I was going to tell you that I like you but you know what happened. And then today with the whole Doug thing...,"

"It's okay. We're here now," he whispered and kissed my head. I smiled.

I slowly lifted my head again so that I was facing him and he started to lean in. I closed my eyes as I felt his lips barely touching mine. This was it. No interruptions. It was just me and Freddie. The way it's supposed to be.

Our lips finally met and I felt as if I was walking on air. My heart began to race. It wasn't a heated kiss. It was soft, innocent, but full of passion. My hands went to his face and I started to caress his cheeks. This felt right and I never wanted to stop.

We finally pulled away and I looked into his eyes. He had the biggest smile on his face.

"You know, that was my first kiss," he said, pulling me closer.

"Mine too. I've never really had a real boyfriend. Dough doesn't count," I said.

"I'm glad we were each others' first kiss then," he said as he kissed my forehead.

As much as I wanted to cuddle with Freddie in the fire escape, I had to get home. Hopefully, my mom wasn't there. I couldn't deal with her and the last thing I wanted was for her to ruin the best night of my life. Freddie's mom agreed to drive me home. She was very supportive of our relationship, which was very surprising to me but I was glad she was. She said that she was just glad to see Freddie happy again after his dad's death.

I stepped out of of the car and Freddie walked me to the front of my house. We faced each other when we finally reached my front door. I smiled at him.

"Goodnight," he whispered as he pulled me into a tight hug.

"Goodnight."

He leaned in and we shared our second kiss before we parted that night.

* * *

**OKAY! so what did you guys think? I hope it wasn't too cheesy for you guys. **

**So Sam and Freddie are finally together. YAY! I wanted to clear something up with you guys. I am not planning on ending this story any time soon. Sometimes, I get really annoyed when some stories end just as Sam and Freddie get together. I'm going to continue writing this story and you all will get to watch their relationship grow. I have SO much planned for Sam and Freddie like their first date, their first fight, and maybe they will go to prom together. I think this will be my longest story yet. I think it will have over 30 chapters.**

**Anyways, please review and let me know what you think. Thank you all so much for reading. :)**


	18. Chapter 17: First Date

**Hey hey. I'm glad y'all liked the last chapter. Thanks for all of your reviews. I'm officially "super excited" now that Sam and Freddie are going out. A LOT will happen to the two. This chapter isn't a 'big' one or anything. I just hope you really enjoy all of the cute Seddieness. Hehe :D**

**Anyways, have you guys read the description for a future iCarly episode? Something about Sam going to jail and Carly and Freddie trying to do the show without her. Bleh. It's kind of annoying how Sam will probably be away most of the episode. Sam is one of my favorite characters so yeah it will suck if she's not in the majority of the episode. Eh whatever. I just wanna see that episode, iBeat The Heat. Griffin comes back. LOL. Okaaayy...**

**Just enjoy this update. :)**

* * *

Falling asleep has been very hard for me, especially since the night I asked Sam to be my girlfriend. It was all too good to be true. Every night, I'd stare at the ceiling, thinking of how happy she makes me. I'd be up till three in the morning, just thinking of her. Her eyes, her long, blond, curly hair, her cute nose, and those lips. Those lips that I've been kissing every day for the past week.

Yes, we've been dating for a week and it's been amazing so far. We didn't spend a lot of time together. I spent every day selling as much candy as I could for the big field trip while she worked at the Groovy Smoothie after school. But I did stop by during her breaks to spend time with her. We would walk around, hand in hand. She'd tell me about her day and I'd tell her about mines. Things couldn't be more perfect between us.

It was a Wednesday morning. I was awake before my alarm clock went off. I was beyond excited because Sam had the day off and we sold all of our candy yesterday so me and Sam had all afternoon together. Since both of us have been busy, we haven't been on a proper date. I wanted our first date to be a special one.

I got out of bed, showered, changed, and walked towards the kitchen for breakfast. I hugged my mom and gave her a good morning kiss as she handed me a plate full of food. Eggs, bacon, and toast. I was happy that my mom wasn't being such a health freak after she met Sam. But she still made me eat fruits and vegetable. We sat down and began to eat.

"Mm.. good breakfast," I commented as I took a forkful of scrambled eggs and stuffed it in my mouth.

"Thanks sweetie. I'm glad you like it," she took a sip of orange juice. "So... you and Sam. I know it's been a week but she is your first girlfriend. We need to talk about this."

I groaned and rolled my eyes. She wanted to have "the talk." I already had the talk with my dad and it cool but having this conversation with my mom would be incredibly awkward.

"Mom," I whined. "I don't wanna talk about this. Like you said, me and Sam have only been dating for one week. I don't want to rush anything."

"I know Freddie but it's better to be safe than sorry. If you two do last a long time, please be careful with any decision that you make okay?"

I finished my breakfast and placed my plate on the sink. "I promise. Bye mom."

I walked out and once the door was closed, I leaned against it, sighing heavily. It's only been a week and my mom already wants to talk about sex. I've never thought about me and Sam doing anything. Just holding her in my arms is enough for me. It was too early to start thinking about this kind of stuff anyways. I just shook it off. I didn't know how things were going to work out between me and Sam but whatever happens, happens. When or if that moment comes, it would be nothing but special.

I didn't realize how long I was standing there, just thinking until Carly came out of her apartment. She gave a weird look but I just shrugged.

"Hey Freddie. I was waiting for you," she said, giving me a small hug.

"Hey. Sorry, I was just thinking. My mom kind of scared me back there," I said, pointing towards my apartment.

"What did she do?" she asked and we began to make our way out of the building.

"She told me to be careful if me and Sam ever... you know... have sex," I muttered as a blush formed on my cheeks. I was a bit embarrassed having to explain this to Carly, the girl who used to drive me crazy.

"Ooh... awkward," she said. As we were leaving the building, Lewbert began to scream at us because the lobby floor was still wet because he mopped it earlier. We just walked away without even talking to him.

"You two have only been together for a week," she added.

"I know. I haven't even thought about that. I've never had a girlfriend before so sex was the last thing that was on my mind when I asked her to be my girlfriend."

"Anyways," she said, completely terminating the sex talk. I was relieved. "How are things between you and Sam so far?"

"Great. We're going out for our first date today," I smiled at her.

"Ah. How cute. You have to give me the details tomorrow," she squealed and clapped her hands together as she began to do her happy dance.

"Of course," I chuckled. "What about you and Griffin?"

I was surprised at myself when I asked her about her and Griffin. Ever since they got together, I've been nothing but jealous because Carly was the girl that I thought I loved with all of my heart. But when I looked at her, she looked beautiful to me. Beautiful as always, but I didn't feel attracted to her like I was before Sam came into my life. I felt nothing but a friendly and sibling love towards her. I felt this feeling of happiness just knowing that I wasn't into her that way anymore and that I finally found someone that wanted to be with me for me and not for shallow reasons.

She gave me a smile and those butterflies and goosebumps I used to get when she flashed me her beautiful smile were no longer there. They were long gone.

"We're good. We've been dating for two months. This has been my longest relationship so far," she said as her smile got bigger.

"I'm really happy for you Carly," I said truthfully and genuinely.

"Thanks. I think he might even be the one."

I smiled at her. I really was happy for her now.

* * *

It was lunch time and the entire AV Club gathered in our usual meeting stop to discuss the field trip that we've been wanting to go to for so long. I had all of the money stored in a metal box, on the teacher's desk. I didn't want to count the money without the club being there. As soon as everyone sat in their seats, I stood in front of the room, facing everyone so that they payed attention to me.

"Attention everyone," I clapped my hands until all eyes were on me.

"Okay so yesterday, we finished selling all of our candy. Today, I am going to count all the money we collected. Let's hope we get to go on this field trip. Shane can you hand me the metal box on top of the desk?"

As Shane walked to the desk to get the box, I reached into my backpack and searched for the key that opened the box. The box was locked so that people wouldn't steal any of the money that we worked so hard to earn. He handed me the box and I quickly unlocked it, revealing a big pile of one dollar bills, a few fives, and lots of quarters. I sighed.

"This is going to take longer than I thought. I'm gonna need some of you to help me count this money."

Five people came towards me and each one of them grabbed a handful of money to count. I took all of the quarters, dimes, and nickels and started counting. It was a lot of money so the counting process took a long time. When we were finally finished, we added up all of the numbers we got on my phone's calculator.

"Okay...," I said as I clicked the 'equal' button on my phone.

"Well?" said one of the members of the club.

"We have more than enough for the field trip," I said as a smile spread across my face. I was more than happy. All of the hard work that we put into selling our candy and collecting money paid off in the end. Not even Steven, who stole a large number of candy from me stopped us from raising the money we needed for this field trip. Everyone cheered and hugged in each other in joy.

"I'm really proud of you guys. I can't wait for April," I smiled and everyone cheered again.

* * *

After school, I went straight to Carly's house. I wanted to look good for Sam and seeing as I've never been on a date before, I wanted Carly and Spencer to help me out. No, I needed their help. I wanted my first date with Sam to be special, memorable, and I did not want to look and act like a total loser. I knocked on the door and immediately it flung open and Carly grabbed my wrist, dragging me inside.

"Whoa Carly. Calm down," I said as I got out of her grip and rubbed my wrist.

"This is your first date Freddie. It has to be special. Do you know what you're going to wear?" she asked, looking at me up and down.

"No," I snapped. "That's why I asked for _your_ help, Carly."

"Oh right sorry. Okay, go get some of your best shirts and I'll help you pick something out. Spencer should be here soon," she said, looking at her pink and yellow watch.

"Okay," I breathed out and I ran to my house. It was empty which meant that my mom was working. I barged into my room and quickly opened my closet. I grabbed as many shirts as I could, not really paying attention to which ones were the best or which ones were completely dorky. I wanted to get ready fast so I could spend as much time with Sam as possible.

I ran back to Carly's apartment. She was standing in front of her couch with her arms crossed. I threw my shirts on her couch. I watched her as she picked up each shirt to inspect it. Before I knew what was going on, there were two different piles on her couch. I raised my eyebrows at her.

"Alright Freddie. This pile here," she said pointing at the pile on the left, "are shirts that you should definitely not wear on your date."

"What's wrong with these shirts?" I asked her as I looked at the shirts. They weren't that bad.

"They look like shirts you should wear at church. You're going on a date with a girl, not praying... Now these shirts are a lot nicer," she grabbed a shirt and handed it to me. "I think this one would look great on you. Try it on and don't button up the buttons. They looks better... unbuttoned."

I walked into Spencer's bathroom and I quickly changed into the shirt that Carly picked out for me. It was a black and gray, striped, polo shirt. I decided to obey Carly and leave the buttons unbuttoned. I stepped out and Carly looked me up and down again.

"You look great Freddie," she smiled. "I love unbuttoned shirts. Showing a little bit of chest is actually kind of hot. Sam might like that."

I rolled my eyes but I went along with it anyways because I did want to look good for Sam after all. She was very much worth me asking Carly for help. Carly took a few steps closer to me and looked at me again. She wrinkled her nose before she took her fingers and started licking them. I looked at her weirdly as she began to mess with my hair. Carly was starting to act worse than my mother. I gently pushed her arms away.

"Carly. I think my hair is fine," I said.

"Sorry... so anyways, what about your pants? Are you going to change your pants?"

"My pants are fine. It's not like she's going to be looking at my legs the whole time, right?" I laughed. She nodded her head.

We heard the door open and Spencer walked in with goofy grin on his face. He skipped across the room and picked Carly up and spun her around. When he placed her down, he started skipping around the room happily. Me and Carly laughed as we watched him dance around in joy. I couldn't get over how weird Spencer acted the majority of the time but I admired him for staying tru to himself and not caring what others had to say about him. In many ways, he was my hero. The big brother I never had.

"Spencer? Are you okay?" ask Carly as she tried to stop him. He finally stopped and threw himself onto one of the chairs.

"I'm fantastic Carly. Guess what?"

"What?" me and Carly asked at the same time.

"I proposed to Vanessa today in front of her students. We're getting married this summer," he said ecstatically.

"Oh my gosh," squealed Carly as she jumped into her brother's arms. I walked up to him and gave him a big hug as I congratulated him. I've never seen Spencer so happy before. He was pretty much on top of the world and I admired him for that. Spencer, just like me, was also teased in school and everyone called him a nerd. Seeing him so full of joy only gave me hope. I knew my life would get better little by little and slowly, it was getting a lot better than I expected.

"Okay okay, enough hugging," he said. "What do you need help with Freddo.

"He's going on his first date today with Sam. I already picked out his shirt and fixed his hair a little bit. What else does he need?"

He placed his hand under his chin as he looked at me up and down, just like Carly did earlier. He made me turn around a few times and then he came closer to me. A little too close. Then, he began to sniff me. I stepped back a bit, feeling a little freaked. out.

"Aha!" he snapped his fingers and ran to his room. He came out with a bottle of cologne. He handed me that bottle and I just looked at it weirdly.

"Randy Jackson cologne?" I asked. I've never actually worn cologne.

"Yeah. You want to smell good for your girl, don't you?"

"Well... yeah I guess," I said as I popped off the cap and sprayed a little bit of cologne over my chest area. I didn't put a lot though because the smell was a bit strong. I gave the bottle back to Spencer and sighed. "Well? How do I look?"

I didn't go too out of way to look good for Sam but I tried at least. I hoped that I looked good enough for her. I knew I wasn't the best looking guy out there and it made me wonder why she liked me so much. She said she liked me for me. That I've been there for her and sure, it made me happy to know that she feels the same way I do but she never talked about the physical things she liked about me. She only liked me because of my kindness? Did she feel any physical attraction towards me at all? These doubts were quickly flooding my mind...

"You look great Freddie," Carly smiled. I didn't pay much attention to her. I just smiled back. Looking at the time on my phone, I didn't have a lot of time left.

"Hey, I'm gonna go. Sorry Carly but can I leave my clothes here and pick them up after my date with Sam? I don't want to keep her waiting."

"Sure. Have fun," she said. I walked out of the door after waving goodbye to Carly and Spencer.

* * *

Being greeted by Lewbert's annoying screeches was nothing new to me but I always wanted him to stop. Every time I walk into that lobby, it's the same thing. He's either screaming at me or throwing some random object at me. This time, he threw a piece of corn bread at me. I shook my head and quickly ran out of the building. When I stepped outside, I was surprised to see Sam. We were supposed to meet at the Groovy Smoothie for our date.

Every day, she looked more and more beautiful to me. She was wearing a black top, blue jeans, black Converse, and a red hoodie. I felt the beat of my heart increase as I approached her. She was wearing eyeliner and her blue eyes never looked so hypnotizing. They were breathtaking. How I got so lucky to have an amazing girl like her was beyond me.

She opened up her arms to me and I embraced her in a long tight hug. Her arms were around my neck and mines were around her waist. I was hugging her completely, pulling her as close to my body as I could. I didn't want to let her go. Just holding her in my arms, in front of the Bushwell Plaza all night was enough for me. But eventually, we let go of each other.

"Hey," I greeted her as I kissed her lips softly. "I thought we were meeting at the Groovy Smoothie?"

"I know," we kissed one more time. I smiled. "But I wanted to surprise you."

"Well that sure was a surprise," I laughed. I took her hand in mine and we began to walk towards the mall. We stayed quiet for a while until I hear her chuckle. I looked at her and she her laughter grew.

"What's so funny?" I asked her, giving her a weird look. She stood on her toes and started ruffling my hair with her hands.

"You had something in your hair. All gone," she smiled. I shook my head and grunted.

"Stupid Lewbert. He threw a piece of corn bread at me." She laughed again. I quickly got over the fact that Lewbert was a complete jerk to me. Hearing Sam laugh was like music to my ears. Like a great song that I would put on repeat for hours at a time because it's so beautiful. Everything about her is beautiful.

"So what do you want to do for our date?" I asked her as we continued to walk. I didn't really plan anything special for us to do on our date. I didn't have the time or money to plan something extremely romantic and expensive.

"I don't care. I'm just glad that we actually get to spend more than ten minutes together. T-Bo needs to give me longer breaks," she rolled her eyes.

"So... you want to watch a movie or something?"

"Sure."

"What do you want to watch?"

"I don't know. Let's decide when we get there," she said as she let go of my hand and wrapped it around my waist. I placed mine around her shoulder.

We arrived at the mall and headed straight to the movie theaters. It wasn't packed like it usually is during the weekend and I liked it that way. We decided to watch a movie called "Forever Yours." I instantly hated the movie just by reading the title. (A/N I totally made that up) I was more of a Star Wars type of person but the movie was a love story based on a true story. And besides, I wanted to watch something romantic with Sam.

After buying our tickets, we headed towards the concession stand. Sam bought a large bucket of popcorn, three bags of candy, and a large soda while I got a medium sized Icee. I noticed that the room was empty when we walked inside to watch the movie. It was just me and Sam. She suggested that we sit all the way in the back of the room to enjoy the movie more.

The movie wasn't so interesting. It seemed pretty cliche, considering that it was based on a true story. Half way through the movie, Sam was done with all of her snacks so I decided to take her hand and intertwine them together. I wasn't so sure on what to do but I gently rubbed my thumb on her hand. Using her other hand, she lifted the armrest and scooted closer to me. She took my hand and placed it around her shoulder so that she could rest her head on my chest. I took my other and I placed it on her hip, pulling her closer to me. Before I knew it, she was on my lap.

I wasn't sure what to do next. I was never in this situation and I was beginning to grow nervous. I knew she felt the same way. Her arms were resting awkwardly on my shoulders. I felt my heart thumping hard against my chest as she lifted her head to look me in the eyes. We were alone in a movie theater, watching a romantic movie. Only one scenario played in my head.

Our faces were a few inches apart from each other and I could feel her breath blowing gently on my face. I was still unsure on what to do but I found myself leaning towards her until my lips met hers. Our lips moved as I felt her hands go from my shoulders to my hair, her fingers gently combing through every strand. One of my hands started sliding up and down her side slowly while my other hand was on her back for support. Without thinking much, I slowly slid my tongue into her mouth, and the feeling of her tongue against mine was pure bliss.

I was in heaven. I didn't want to stop. My hands started roaming all over her body. She pulled back and I began to breath heavily. I didn't notice how long we were making out until I took that very much needed breath of air. She pulled back the armrest behind me and the arm rest behind her and I felt myself being pushed gently against the seats. We were completely horizontal and parallel. I was on my back and she adjusted herself on top of me. Her head was hovering above mine and I felt the need to kiss her again. Not kissing her was agonizing so I quickly lifted my head to capture her lips with mine.

This time, she brushed her tongue against mine. The sounds coming from the movie disappeared. I was in my own world with Sam. I kissed her devotedly, with as much passion as I could. I found myself, playing with her soft hair with one hand while the other was on the small of her back. This was so unreal, it had to be a dream. This kind of happiness had to be impossible. But it was real. My hands went back to her hips and pulled her closer to me. Our tongues were still touching and I heard a soft moan coming from from Sam.

We finally pulled away and sat up. Her lips were slightly swollen and pink while mine were tingling from the make out session we just had. I was so thankful that the room was empty because I would have been embarrassed if we ever got caught. I turned to look at the screen and the credits were rolling. We must have made out longer than I expected. I looked at Sam and she had a big smile on my face. I couldn't help myself. I leaned in and places a small kiss on her lips.

We exited the theater and made our way to the park, hand in hand. I was beyond happy. I decided to be a bit bold as I quickly grabbed her by the waist and spun her around. Her hands went straight to my chest for support as she squealed. I smiled at her lovingly.

"What was that for?" she asked, her hands were still on my chest and I pulled her closer to me.

"I'm just happy," I breathed out and kissed her lips again. I pulled back and her hands went from my chest to my face. She started caressing my cheeks gently her eyes not leaving mine. She leaned up and kissed me. When she pulled back, she looked behind me and she frowned. I turned around and didn't realized that we were in front of the Groovy Smoothie. I looked inside and I noticed Steven looking at us from the window. I grunted, expecting the worst to happen.

Sam forcefully turned my head so that I was facing her and she brought her lips to mine. Her arms snaked around my neck and she quickly shoved her tongue into my mouth. My hands immediately went to her hips and I pulled her body as close to mine as possible. We were at it for a few minutes until she finally pulled away. She smirked and I turned around. Steven was still staring at us, only that he looked furious this time. I couldn't help but laugh. He must have been incredibly angry that I was making out with the girl that rejected him and kicked him in the testicles.

We quickly walked away from the place and made our way to the park. We reached the playground, which was empty and Sam ran towards the monkey bars. She jumped and started swinging on one of the bars. She somehow flipped herself so that she was hanging onto the bar with her legs and she was upside down. I walked to her and placed a kiss on her forehead. She flipped herself again until she was on her feet. I took her hand and we took a walk along the park.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" I looked at her.

"I'm having a great time," she smiled. "And you smell great. I know, random but I just thought I'd let you know."

"Thanks," I laughed. "And I'm glad you're having a good time because I'm also having a great time with you."

I looked down and stared at our hands. They fit so perfectly together but I suddenly felt a few negative thoughts clouding my mind.

"Can I ask you something?" she nodded.

"You said that you like me for me and I was just wondering... I... this is kind of embarrassing but do you find me attractive?"

"What? Where did that question come from?" she asked as we stopped walking. She stood in front of me.

"I don't know. I just... it's just that girls always go for the really buff athletes and popular guys and I'm just... a nerd..," I said shamefully. I couldn't look at her so my eyes went straight to the grass underneath us. I felt a soft hand on my cheek and Sam shifted my head so that I was looking at her again.

"Freddie...," she whispered. "Don't beat yourself up please."

She sighed deeply and pulled me into a tight hug.

"You have the most amazing brown eyes I've ever seen," she whispered into my ear. "I like the way you smile at me whenever we're together and I love that you're tall but not too tall. Don't doubt yourself because to me, you're pretty damn cute. You understand?"

I pulled back and looked at her. "Really?"

"Yeah," she breathed out. "And not only that. You are smart and sweet. I'm with you because I like you, Freddie."

"I'm sorry," I said.

"For what?"

"For thinking so negatively. I've never had a girlfriend before so everything is so new to me."

"I've never had a real boyfriend before either so this is all new to me too but let's not think about the negative. We're together and that's all the matters right?"

I smiled at her. "You're right."

We took each others' hand and I walked her to the bus stop. It was getting late and I didn't want her to walk around in the dark, knowing that she lived in a pertty rough part of town.

When we finally reached the bus stop, she turned to look at me and she wrapped her arms around my waist. I placed my hands on her lower back and I kissed the top of her head.

"Thanks,: she whispered. "I had a great time."

"Me too. And I'm sorry that our date wasn't fancy or super romantic."

She shook her head. "I don't care about all that fancy shiz. I had a good time being with you and that's all that matters."

"You're amazing," I said and I gave her a quick goodbye kiss.

I walked away and later that night, I found myself having a hard time falling asleep. Every kiss that we shared on our date replayed over and over in my head. And the smile on my face refused to go away.

My first date with Sam was truly the best day of my life.

* * *

**Okay so what did you guys think? I'm a sucker for cheesy and romantic Seddieness. I REALLY hoped you liked this chapter. What did you think of Steven's cameo? Steven will make another appearance in this story but that will be later. I hope that I didn't rush things too much between Sam and Freddie with all of the make out scenes. Remember that even though they have been dating for a week, they have known each other for two months so their feelings for each other are pretty strong. But not strong enough that they are in love. I'm saving the whole "I love you" thing for a later chapter.**

**Anyways, I want you guys to do me a favor. There is a link on my FFnet profile titled "Tried and True by Avenue 52." That is a link to one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite bands, Avenue 52. Please listen to that song and let me know what you think. I'm thinking of writing a future Seddie fic using this song. It's gonna be a one shot. So please, give me your opinion on this song.**

**Another thing, please check out my other story "Summer Vacation"**

**And I think that's it. Don't forget to please review. Thank you and I hope you all have a great day or night, depending on where you're located haha. Love you all. :)**


	19. Chapter 18: A Promise

**Hey everyone. Wow... it feels like it's been forever since I last updated and it actually wasn't that long ago lol. If it feels like a long time to you, I apologize. I've been distracted with other things but I really want to update right now. I just want to say a few things before I get on with the next chapter.**

**Sorry if anyone was thrown off by the make out scenes between Sam and Freddie. They are just really into each other and... stuff haha. There won't be a lot of make out scenes for now but there will be enough fluff to keep you satisfied okay? :)**

**Another thing, if you follow me on Twitter then you know that on April 16, I got the opportunity to meet AND interview Nathan Kress. I am a part of a new site called Junkie Promotions and we were lucky enough to be a part of press so we actually got to interview tons of other celebrities. I'm only the person who records the interviews but my friend wasn't around when I pulled Nathan aside after the event so I had to interview him myself. He was my first interviewee and I'm glad it was him haha. Anyways, he was nice enough to give me a few autographs so I will post a link on my FFnet profile. This link will take you to the Junkie Promotions twitter and if you want to win one of his autographs, you have to follow us. I actually mailed one to one of my fellow readers and good friend here but the rest will be given away as contest prizes. I will also put links of my pictures with him if anyone is interested. It really was a dream come true.**

**Okay enough of that. Enjoy this update. :)**

* * *

When you have school, work, and a boyfriend to focus on, time tends to pass by pretty quickly. January turned to February and February turned to March. Freddie and I have been dating for over a month now. I didn't question it much but my life would be a hell of a lot different and worse if Freddie wasn't in my life. The past month has been great for both of us. I finished my homework at school, I'd go to work, Freddie would visit me during my breaks, and by the time I got home, my mom would either be passed out or out of the house. It was great because I didn't have to deal with her abusive behavior. Sometimes, she would catch me at a bad time and she'd slap me but since I've been so busy, it's rare. I didn't tell Freddie about the times my mom hits me. I didn't want him to worry.

Things between Freddie and I have been great. For Valentine's Day, we spent the entire day at the lake. We played in the water and we had a big picnic. Once the sun was going down, we laid on the grass, cuddling as we watched the sunset together. And once the sun was down, we stared at all the stars. It really was romantic. Over the month, me and Freddie would make out a few times but this was the first time since we got together that we just cuddled and talked about random topics and not about how our day went. I felt so much closer to him after that day.

It was a Monday morning and I stared at ceiling, thinking about how lucky I've gotten to have Freddie and to have this job that I enjoyed. I finally got out of bed and walked to my bathroom to get ready. Every day, I tried to be as quiet as possible so I wouldn't have to wake up my mom. This day was completely different.

I walked down the stairs, not knowing that I forgot to tie my shoes and I somehow ended up tripping on one of my shoelaces. I was close to the bottom so when I fell, I wasn't hurt but I was loud enough to wake up my mom. She groaned as she started to rub her head. I quickly stood up and tried to make it through the door but she was too fast for me, even when she was hungover. She took me by the wrist and yanked me closer to her. Her grip on my wrist was hard and I could instantly feel the bruise that was going to appear on my wrist.

"Where have you been?" she asked as she looked at me up and down.

"What do you mean?" I tried to get out of her grip but the more I pulled that tighter her held me. I could feel her fingernail digging into my skin. I tried not to show it in my face that she was causing me pain but it was hard.

"I mean that I haven't seen you around here lately. What have you been doing? Are you whoring around? I've seen you with that guy," she said, her nails digging into my skin deeper.

"What? No! I have to get to school mom. Let me go," I pleaded in pain. I didn't tell her about my job or about Freddie. I didn't see the point in telling her about my life. I wanted to keep all the good things in my life away from my mom. She finally let go of my hand and she pushed me to the ground. I quickly grabbed my wrist and tried to ease the pain. There wasn't any bleeding but the nail marks on my skin were visible. I just hoped that they would disappear before my date with Freddie after school.

She placed her foot on my back and pushed me to the ground again. I was on my side and I felt her legs kick my stomach repeatedly. I tried to cover my stomach with my arms but she was fast. She kicked me for what seemed forever. I wanted the pain to stop but it only became unbearable. I closed my eyes as her kicks slowed down. I managed to grab one of her ankles and I tripped her. She fell on her back and somehow hit the back of her head. I took a good look at her. She was motionless which led me to believe she passed out. I stood up and winced at the pain in my stomach but I had to get out of the house before she woke up. I ran out of the door as fast as I could.

* * *

School wasn't very exciting for me. Not that it was exciting and fun before but now it's been a real bore. Sure, I showed up every day and I completed all of my work but ever since I met Freddie, my intentions weren't the same. I didn't bother any of the underclassmen like I used to. I didn't trip any of the nerd during lunch and I stopped shoving some of them into lockers. It made lunch less interesting but there wasn't much I could do. I didn't have any friends at school. People used to fear me, thinking that I could take them down with one punch but ever since Mindy and her little puppies beat me up, no one acknowledged me anymore. They'd see in the halls, they'd look at me but instead of giving me feared looks, they just turned their heads and went back to whatever it was that they were doing. I was Seattle High's wallflower. at times it bothered me but then I stopped caring. I had Freddie.

People expected me to challenge Mindy to a rematch after our fight. I thought about it carefully but what would that prove? I'd ask her for a fight, we'd fight, then there would be another fight within the next few weeks. And honestly, I was sick of fighting. I had to deal with enough violence from my mom, I didn't need it with some girl who hated me for completely idiotic reasons. I'd see Mindy in the halls and she'd try to talk to me and tease me but I simply walked away. We don't talk or even look at each others' eyes anymore.

I was in my Creative Writing class, bored out of my mind. We had two whole weeks to work on a new story and it took me three days to write it. It wasn't a story, technically. I wrote a few songs and I put them together to make a story. I turned it in and I pretty much had the rest of the week to just do nothing in that class. I was about to put my head down for a small nap when...

"Sam?" I snapped my head at her direction with an irritated look on my face.

"What's up Mrs. C?" She motioned for me to go to her desk. I groaned a little bit before I stood and walked towards her. I sat down on the seat next to her desk, waiting for her to begin.

"I wanted to talk to you about your grade," she said, putting on her glasses and focusing her attention on the computer monitor that was on her desk.

"What about my grade?"

"I want to say that I'm proud of you. I know things have been hard. Your grade went down a bit but it's going back up. What made you want to start songwriting again? These songs are amazing," she said as she handed me back some of my old assignments. I smirked.

"I've just been feeling a little inspired lately, is all," I replied, thinking of Freddie as I looked through the songs that I've written.

"Well that's great. Again, I'm proud of you. Keep it up," she smiled at me and pointed to my desk. I nodded and I walked back to seat. I slept for the rest of the class.

* * *

After school, I took the bus straight to The Groovy Smoothie for my date with Freddie. It wasn't anything big. We were just going to hang out and grab some burgers and smoothies since it was my day off. I didn't bother going home to fix myself. I didn't want to deal with my mom again and Freddie liked my style anyways so I didn't have to girl myself up for him.

I finally made it to the front of the Groovy Smoothie. Freddie was outside by the door waiting for me. When he looked up and smiled at me, my stomach started doing flips and my heart began to race. Freddie always had that effect on me. He took a few steps forward until we were face to face. He wrapped his arms around my waist, hugging me tightly and I hugged him back. His hug was a bit tighter than I was used to and I tried to show that my stomach was hurting from the powerful kicks my mom gave me earlier. But it was no use. I squealed a little in pain and he quickly stepped back, not taking his hands from my waist. My hands stayed behind his neck. He looked at me with concern written all over his face.

"Hey... are you okay?"

"Yeah," I lied. "I'm just a little sore. No big deal."

That didn't seem to convince him. I was always a good liar but fooling Freddie was hard. Aside from being my boyfriend, he was also my best friend. He knew everything about me and I couldn't hide anything from him. But I couldn't tell him about my mom hurting me again. I didn't want him to deal with it. It was my problem and I wanted to deal with it alone.

"Are you sure?" I nodded and he smirked, squeezing my waist lightly. An involuntary squeal escaped my lips. He frowned.

"You're not fine. Did your mom hurt you again?"

I sighed, considering if I should tell him or not. "No! I'm just sore. Don't worry, Freddie."

I didn't want him to ask me more questions so I leaned in closer to him and my lips were on his. My worries were instantly gone when me and Freddie were kissing. Our lips moved together. His lips were always so soft and so inviting, I couldn't resist kissing him. His hands were on my hips and I could feel them slowly making their way under my shirt. In a matter of seconds his hands were on my waist, under my shirt. Even on a chilly day, his hands seems to stay warm. We continued to kiss, more passionately this time. The cold air was hitting my skin because my shirt was up a little bit. I felt Freddie pull away and he started to look at my stomach. He had an angry look on his face.

"What's wrong?" I asked lazily. His kisses always left me in a daze. When he didn't respond, I look down at my stomach and I gasped. I had bruises all over my stomach. I quickly stepped away from Freddie and I placed my shirt back down.

"What is that. Sam?" he asked, trying to pull my shirt up a little to show my bruises. But I didn't let him. I was furious.

"You did that on purpose," I said to him angrily.

"I know.. I.. uh.. I didn't mean it. I just don't like it when you're hurt," he said, trying to reach out to me but I kept backing away from him. "Why didn't you tell me your mom is still hurting you?"

"Because maybe I don't want you to worry all the time. She hasn't hurt me severely in a while. Today, she just kicked me a few times. It wasn't as bad as before though," I said.

"JUST a few kicks?" his eyes widened. "I don't want you to get hurt Sam. I won't allow it."

This time, I couldn't help myself. I threw myself onto his arms and I buried my face on his neck. He held me tightly but not to the point where he could hurt my bruises. We held each other for a while, neither of us saying anything. His hands were going up and down my back, making my entire body shiver. I finally pulled back so that we were looking at each other. He gave me a quick peck on the lips.

"Promise me that if your mom ever hurts you again, you'll tell me," he whispered, his forehead resting on mine. I closed my eyes as I sighed. "If she ever hurts you again, tell me. I don't care what time it is. I'll come get you."

I was stunned by his words. "Y- you really mean that?"

"Of course. I'll do anything for you, Sam."

A smile formed on my face and leaned up to kiss his lips softly.

"Okay...," I whispered. I didn't want to tell Freddie about my mom but I didn't think it would cause a small fight between us. Besides, my eighteenth birthday was coming up. The more time I spent away from my mom before I was of legal age, the better. After that, I'd have all the freedom in the world and I could find away to live somewhere else. We kissed one more time.

I felt my stomach growl. I looked at Freddie.

"Freddie?" I said softly.

"Yeah?" he leaned in closer until our lips were barely touching.

"I'm hungry," we both started to laugh and we walked into the Groovy Smoothie.

The place was packed, like it always is on school days. Hand in hand, me and Freddie walked up to the counter where T-Bo was.

"Yo T-Bo," I said out loud. He turned around, looking at me surprised.

"Hey, Sam. What are you doing here? You have the day off?"

"I know. I'm here with Freddie," I smiled at him.

"Cool, cool. So what can I get you two?"

"I'll get a Strawberry Splat and a double cheeseburger with fries," I said. T-Bo then turned to look at Freddie.

"I'll take the same thing," he said.

"Okay. Coming right up," said T-Bo and he turned to the smoothie machine to work on our orders. I looked at Freddie and I saw him pull out his wallet. I quickly took his wallet and stuffed it back into his pockets.

"Wanna know what the perks are for working here? Free food!" I said to him with a big smile on my face. T-Bo was really a great boss and the fact that he provided free food for me made me appreciate him even more.

"Really? That's great. We should come here for dates more often then," he smirked and I punched his arm playfully.

T-Bo came back with two trays for our food. We picked them up and walked over to a table by the window. The one further away from everyone so we could have a bit more privacy. We sat down, and my mouth watered by just looking at the food in front of me. I hadn't eaten since lunch and all I wanted was to dig into my food and savor it. I unwrapped my burger and took a huge bite out of it. Freddie began to chuckle.

"Whoa there easy. We don't want you choking, Sam," he smirked. I looked at him weirdly.

"That sounds so wrong," I said as I took another bite of my burger along with two fries. He simply rolled his eyes.

"You're the one who made it sound dirty. Don't blame me," he said, taking a sip of his movie.

"Yeah yeah whatever. So how was your day?"

"It was good," he said as he took a bite out of his burger. "We booked our hotel today. Now we have to get a bus."

"I can't believe you're going to be away for a whole because of that field trip next month," I said, with a little sadness in my tone.

He gave me an apologetic look. "I know. It's going to suck not seeing you for a week but I've been looking forward to this all year long. It's a great opportunity."

"I know..."

"So... how was your day?" he asked. I gulped

"Boring but my creative writing teacher said she's happy I'm writing songs again and that my grade has gotten better," I smiled. He reached for my hand from across the table and held it gently, his thumb stroking the back of my hand. The pure and simple feeling of him touching me sent shivers all over my body again.

"That's good. I'm glad you're doing better in school. In just a few months, you'll have that diploma in your hands," he smiled at me. I stood up and leaned in to peck his lips. I sat back down and began to look around. I saw Carly with her boyfriend across the room. She noticed me and I waved at her. She waved back and then turned her attention back to her boyfriend. I looked towards the entrance and someone familiar walked into the Groovy Smoothie. I've seen him a lot during my shifts but I managed to avoid him every single time. This time, it was unavoidable.

"Oh no...," I whined.

"What happened?" Freddie started to look around himself.

"It's your friend. He's here," I said, putting my head down. Gibby was by the counter with a girl slightly taller than him. He started to take his shirt off. My eyes widened in disgust and I quickly turned my back towards him.

"Who Gibby? Why are you afraid of him?"

"I'm not. It's just kind of embarrassing that I used to take his money and now I'm going out with his best friend. Doesn't that sound a bit weird to you?" I turned to look at Gibby again and this time, he was looking back. I turned back round quickly in embarrassment. I didn't want to meet him but Freddie insisted on one of our dates that I should get to know him better. I always thought it would be awkward to make friends with my former 'victim'

"You're right. That is kind of weird but he is my best friend. Let's go say hi to him," he took me by the wrist and dragged me out of my chair. I pulled back my hand and clutched it with my other hand.

"Watch it Freddie. My mom kind of hurt my wrist earlier today," I said. He took it again, softly this time, and began to kiss it until the pain was gone.

"Better?" I nodded. He laced his fingers around mine and slowly lead me towards Gibby. I was growing nervous.

When we finally reached him, I couldn't even look him in the eyes. My eyes were focused on the bell that hung from the door. The sound it made whenever someone entered or exited the place. I felt Freddie squeeze my hand gently.

"Hey Gibby."

"H- hey Fr-Freddie," he said nervously.

"I wanted you to meet my girlfriend, officially," he squeezed my hand again and pushed me forward a little bit to snap me from my thoughts. I was face to face with Gibby again. "Sam this is Gibby. Gibby, this is Sam."

I didn't say anything. I couldn't say anything. I stood there, frozen. Freddie nudged me a little bit.

"Hi...," I said.

"Hey..," he said back.

"I guess I should apologize for harassing you before. I'm sorry," I said, trying to sound as honest as I could. I really was sorry because I hurt him and because he was Freddie's friend. Otherwise, I wouldn't feel so bad about bullying him back then. Things have changed a lot.

"I guess it's okay," he shrugged. I could tell it would be hard for me and him to become close but at least things were okay now. I looked at the girl next to him and raised my eyebrow.

"Hi," she smiled. "I'm Tasha. A friend of Gibby's. We're going to go over some lines for the play."

"Cool... anyways... it was nice to meet you two. I think I'm going to go finish my food," I said awkwardly and I dragged Freddie back to our table.

I sat back down and began to take bite after bite of my double cheeseburger.

"That was awkward," I muffled.

"Don't worry. You'll get used to having him around more often. Thanks for doing this for me," he looked at me with nothing but sincerity in his eyes. Those eyes that always melted me.

"No prob," I said, taking a big sip of my smoothie.

* * *

After we were done with out food, Freddie and I decided to walk back to my bus stop. We talked about the most random subject and our laughter couldn't be louder. Having Freddie around really did brighten my day. I was at my happiest with him.

"So we both agree that Pikachu is the best Pokemon there is," I laughed.

"Exactly," he nodded.

We reached the bus stop and we sat on the bench together while we waited for the bus to arrive.

"So, did you have a good time?" he asked as he placed his arm around my shoulder. I rested my head on his chest and closed my eyes, smiling at the thought of how I lucky I was to have someone like Freddie.

"Don't I always have a good time with you?" I said, taking his hand in mind. He placed my hand on his lap and started to stroke the marks on my wrist. He brought my hand up to his face and started kissing my wrist again. The bus finally arrived, but I didn't want to go. I wanted to be with him, spend every moment of my life with him because without him, my life was complete misery. We stood up and I gave Freddie a quick kiss goodbye.

"Don't forget about your promise," he said.

"I won't" I said as I waved goodbye.

I walked into my house carefully and quietly, hoping that my mom wouldn't wake up. When I looked around, I sighed in relief. She wasn't home and I felt completely at ease not having her there. I walked over to the fridge and took out bottle of root beer. I made my way to my room thinking about the promise that I made to Freddie. I took a quick look at my closet. Grabbing one of my old backpacks, I opened my closet and started stuffing some clothes into it. I was going to keep my promise. Not only to Freddie but to myself. I was tired of getting abused by her and I was ready.

The next time, I'd have a backpack full of clothes and I'd be ready to leave her.

* * *

**Sooo what did you guys think? I didn't think it was that great. I wanted it to focus a little bit on the whole Sam and Gibby thing but I think I'm going to take things a bit slow on that. Obviously they aren't to be best friends over night. I'm going to work on their friendship slowly so I just decided to dedicate this chapter to the whole Freddie-making-Sam-promise-that-she-would-go-to-him-in-case-her-mom-hurt-her-again. Wow that was long LOL.**

**In the next chapter, you will see Steven get into a fight with someone. But with whoooo??? Lol. There will also be some Carly and Sam bonding so that would be interesting.**

**Anyways, please review. I am SO close to 200 reviews. Ahhh it's so crazy. Thank you all so much for the love you've shown this story. And don't forget to check out my FFnet profile. I've updated it.**

**Until next time. :)**

**PS. Remember a few chapters back when I said that you all should give me stories that you want me to read and review. Okay I'm still working on that. It's a pretty long list. I wanted you all to give me these stories so that I can feature them in my writer's notes as well. I shall be doing this for each chapter I update with.**

**So for this chapter, please check out iCan't Believe You Left by ItalianBabexo8. It's a really interesting story about a life changing experience that changed both Sam and Freddie forever. It's a future fic and it's really good. One of my favorites. :)**


	20. Chapter 19: Missing You

**Hello everyone. Sorry if I took a long time to update. I meant to update last week but things got a little crazy for me. I've been planning this chapter very carefully. It's a pretty intense chapter. A lot is going to happen and I wanted it to be perfect for you guys. The last chapter had a few mistakes that I am a bit embarrassed about so I'm going to try my best to make this one ten times better lol.**

**Anyways, I wanted to give a few thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and to those who mentioned my interview. The interview is actually up on Youtube now. It's short but very motivating. Go to Youtube and search for "Junkie Promotions." It won't be hard to find it. I deleted the info and links about the event from my FFnet profile but I did put up a link to my Twitpic account if you still want to check out pictures from the event.**

**Okay that's all. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. :)**

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I was in my room. The lights were off and the only thing lighting the room was my dad's laptop. I was video chatting with Sam before it was time for me to go to sleep. About a month after we started going out, I decided to give Sam my laptop. I also gave her a microphone and I installed this awesome software on the laptop so that she could record her music whenever she wanted to. The way her face lit up when I gave it to her brought me so much joy. She's been through so much and seeing her smile the way she did made me feel so accomplished.

I watched her as she picked up her guitar. She recently bought that missing guitar string at a local music store and she was really excited to start playing it properly. She began to play her guitar. She closed her eyes as she began to sing a very familiar song. It was the song that she played for me the day after those girls ganged up on her. Her voice was so beautiful. Everything about her was beautiful.

Something about the lyrics of the song she was singing felt so familiar. It pretty much explained everything I was feeling towards her before we started going out. My life was so busy that at times, I completely forgot to ask her about the song. Why she wrote it and who did she write it about. When she was done, she opened her eyes and gave me a small smile.

"I don't think I could ever get tired of you singing that song," I said softly.

"Really?"

"Yeah." I smiled. "There's something I've been wondering though... what's the story behind that song?"

She hesitated for a moment, as if she was trying to be as careful as she could on what she should say. She sighed before placing her guitar back down and adjusting herself so that she was laying on her bed, stomach down.

"Honestly, I wrote that song about you," she said. I smiled again. We were quiet for a moment.

"It's a beautiful song. You know, that's kind of how I felt too."

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah. Have I ever told you how happy you make me?"

"Not recently," she said playfully. We both chuckled.

"Well you do," I said sincerely. And it was true. I couldn't explain but she made me feel incredibly happy. The simple things she did, like a small laugh, brought a great deal of happiness to me.

"You too," she murmured. We stayed quiet again for a bit. As beautiful as she looked, even in that over sized t-shirt and doughnut patterned pajama bottoms, she had this look on her face. A look that said she had something serious on her mind.

"Can I ask you something?" she started.

"Sure," I nodded.

"What do you plan on doing after high school?" she asked after taking a deep breath. She wasn't looking into her web cam. I watched her as eyes started to focus on her chipped, navy blue finger nails. She hated nail polish but one day, Carly was hanging out at the Groovy Smoothie and convinced Sam to get them done with her after she got off work.

"Where did that question come from?" I asked her, curiously. We never really talked about the future. I wasn't exactly sure on what I wanted to do with my life. I've applied to many colleges, mainly the ones in California, but I had yet to hear from them. There were many things that interested me, like building computers and video production but I didn't know which one to major in. Her bringing the subject up, I began to wonder about what might happen to _us_ once we graduate.

"I don't know... it's just that you're very smart and I'm not. Yeah, I do my work but what good does it do when I don't even know what I'm going to do after high school? I didn't take the SAT's because I just didn't care back then and I haven't applied to any colleges. What if I'm stuck working at the Groovy Smoothie for the rest of my life?"

I've never heard Sam talk negatively about herself. Well, not since the day I found out she was stealing money from Gibby. Sam's so full of potential. She can sing, play the guitar, and she's an amazing writer. Those talents could take her places.

"Look... Sam. I don't know what I'm going to do after high school. I'm still not sure what college I'm going to. I applied to a few that I want to go to in California and once I know what colleges want me, then I'll decide what I want to major in," I said to her, honestly.

"S-so, you... you're going to college in California?," she asked. I could hear the hurt in her voice. If I were to go to college in California, I wouldn't want to leave Sam behind. But I also wouldn't want to pressure her into leaving Seattle. I never thought about this before...

"I'm not sure. But what about you? There is so much you could do, Sam. You don't know how talented you are," I breathed out. Sam is beautiful, talented, and unique. I could totally see her playing for hundreds, or even thousands, of people. She could be the next Taylor Swift.

"I'm not..."

"Yes, you are Sam. You're an amazing and talented musician. You can sing, write, and play. Sam, those talents can take you places. Don't bring yourself down. There is so much you can do with your talent," I said to her with nothing but honesty and sincerity. Her eyes shifted upward, as if she was thinking about what I told her.

"I don't see myself as some hot shot singer. I only do it as a hobby."

"But you love it, don't you?" I asked and she nodded. "And if you don't want to do something as big as touring ans singing for a large audience, you could always become a music teacher. You could teach people to play the guitar or you can be a voice coach. I know it sounds kind of lame, but the possibilities are endless."

"You really think so?" she said, her voice filled with hopefulness. That same smile she gave me when I gave her my laptop appeared on her face and that joyous feeling whenever she smiled filled my heart.

"I have faith in you, Sam. But anyways, about life after high school... I'm still not sure about what I'm going to do. Maybe we should talk about it once we know what college wants to have me and we can work something out," I suggested. I didn't want to make any future plans without Sam. She was a part of me now and I wasn't about to just leave her. I was determined to make it work.

"Okay, deal," she smiled. "So... what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Ah, I have to help Carly's brother with his newest sculpture," I answered. Lately, my time has been devoted to school, the field trip, and Sam. Not that it was a bad thing but I really did miss spending time with Spencer so I asked him if he needed any help and he was more than happy to say yes.

"Cool. I have work tomorrow," she sighed.

"Call me during your break okay?" I said. I glanced at my phone and noticed that it was almost midnight and I had to go to sleep or else I'd be very tired tomorrow. "I have to go to sleep. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Me too. I'll call you," she smiled.

"Goodnight Sam," I whispered.

"Goodnight."

I turned off my dad's laptop and set it back on my nightstand. I settled myself in bed and I immediately fell asleep.

* * *

School went by pretty quickly for me. Everything was set for the big field trip coming up this spring break. Our hotel was booked, we hired a bus driver, the AV club was officially on the workshop's roster, and we had enough money for food. I was so excited about the week long computer workshop that we worked so hard to be a part of. It got me thinking about how much I loved computers. I was quickly convinced that I wanted to work with computers for a living.

I walked into the Bushwell Plaza and was welcomed by Lewbert's loud and obnoxious snores. Even when he was sleeping he found a way to torture me. I made my way up to the eight floor and I opened Carly's door. Carly's house was always like a second home to me, so neither Carly or Spencer had a problem with me just walking in. I closed the door quietly and I my eyes widened in surprised when I saw Sam and Carly in the living room, watching a video of a grumpy foot (A/N: iKiss reference right there lol) on Carly's PC. Both of them were laughing uncontrollably. I knew that Carly and Sam were friends but I didn't think they were becoming so close. I walked towards them and the two girls turned around.

"Hey Freddie," smiled Carly. She got out of her chair and greeted me with a hug. I looked at Sam. She didn't move from her spot. She simply smiled at me. I walked over to Sam and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, what are you doing here? I thought you had work," I said, placing my hand around her waist.

"I was on my way to work when T-Bo called me and said that he didn't need me to work tonight. Then I bumped into Carly and she invited me over for dinner. I didn't want to go home anyways," she said as she placed her head on my shoulder.

"Well, that's good then. At least I get to see you," I smiled. I kissed her lips softly.

"Awwww," our kiss was interrupted by Carly, who was looking at us as if we were in some kind of fairy tale romance. Her hands were intertwined together under her chin and she had the biggest smile on her face. Sam and I both started laughing.

"Wow Carly," I laughed.

"What? You guys are just so cute together!" she squealed.

"Thanks. So what were you girls doing before I got here?" I asked as I walked over to the table and grabbed a few grapes from the bowl in the middle of the table.

"We were just watching random videos on Youtube," said Sam. She stole one of my grapes, threw it in the air, and caught it with her mouth. She giggled at me before turning her attention back to the grumpy foot on Carly's monitor.

"I can't get over how cute you guys are. I'll be right back," said Carly and she sprinted towards Spencer's bathroom. I turned to Sam and pulled her into a passionate kiss. I pulled back to look at her.

"You and Carly seem to be getting a long very well," I said with a smile. It was great to see Sam get along with another girl because she didn't have a lot of friends. If anything, I was her only friend and I know that sometimes a girl just wants to have some girl time. I did find it pretty ironic that my girlfriend was becoming close friends with the girl I used to like. But in the end, none of it mattered because it made Sam happy.

"Yeah. She's a cool chick," she said as she wrapped her arms around my waist. Just as we were leaning in for another kiss, Spencer walked into the apartment carrying a mannequin and two bags. We quickly let go of each other. I walked over to Spencer and grabbed his bag. He placed the mannequin by the elevator and I placed the bags on the living room table. Spencer turned to look at Sam and then at me.

"Spencer, this is Sam," I said. He reached over and shook her hand.

"So you're Freddie's girlfriend?"

"Um yeah..." she answered.

"I'm Spencer, Carly's brother," he smiled. Carly came out of the bathroom and ran over to Spencer, giving him a big hug in the process.

"So I see you two have met," she said to Spencer and Sam.

"We sure have. So, you guys want to help me with this new sculpture?" he asked enthusiastically. Carly and Sam agreed to help him out and all four of us got in the elevator and made our way to the third floor.

We walked into Spencer's studio and settled the mannequin in the middle of the room. I placed his bags on the table and began to look trhough them. One bag was filled with different colored buttons and the other bag had over forty small bottles of crazy glue.

"So what are we gonna do, Spencer?"

"Well, we are going to take some crazy glue and we are going to cover this mannequin from head to toe with these buttons that a local store donated to me."

"Your art is so weird," laughed Carly.

We spent the rest of the afternoon covering Spencer's mannequin with buttons. Things couldn't be more perfect. I got to spend the rest of the day with my girlfriend and on top of that, she was getting along great with Carly and Spencer. When we were done, Spencer made us spaghetti tacos, which Sam loved She had five of them. That night, my mom and I dropped Sam off at her place. I was happy that Carly decided to invite Sam over

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A few days later, I asked Sam if she wanted to hang out at the park. We decided to play a little game of one on one basketball. My mom didn't think basketballs were very safe, so I borrowed Spencer's basketball. My mom wasn't as protective as she was before but there were times when she would get a little crazy. Like the time I went roller skating with Sam and I ended up falling down. My knee was scraped pretty badly and my mom refused to let me roller skate since.

I waited for Sam at the bus stop. When the bus arrived, I watched Sam as she got out of the bus, a huge smile on her face. She ran over towards me and jumped into my arms, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek in the process.

"Wow, you seem very happy today," I said, not letting go of her. Her smile only grew wider.

"I am. You know how I've been saving up some of my money?" I nodded. "Well... I got paid yesterday and I officially have enough money to get my dad's car fixed. Now I don't have to take the bus anymore."

"Wow Sam, that's great news," I said as my grip on her waist tightened so that I could spin her around and pull her into another hug.

"I know. I'm very excited," she said as she let go of me and took my hand in hers. "Let's go."

We began to walk towards the park. We were only a few blocks away when I saw a group of guys come our way. It was Steven and his gang. I didn't think much of it but he has an evil look on his face, like he was ready to hurt me. I tried not to show any fear and without looking at them, we walked past them. I sighed in relief and I began to look around. It was very gloomy outside and there were signs that it might rain. I looked at Sam and smiled but it quickly faded when I felt something hit the back of my head. I turned around and the group of guys were laughing. I felt the back of my head and a white substance was on my hands. They hit me with balloons filled with shaving cream. I decided to ignore them and we began to walk towards the park.

"What's wrong Frednerd. Afraid to fight back?" They began to laugh again. Again, I decided to ignore them and we continued to walk. I felt another balloon hit the back of my head. I turned around and I glared at them. Sam squeezed my hand and for the third time, I ignored them and walked away.

"Aw is the little Freddie gonna run home to his mommy to cry? Oh wait... no. Little Freddie is gonna run to his daddy," said Steven in a fake crying voice. Then they all began to laugh. That was the last straw. I let go of Sam's hand and I turned around to face Steven. I ran as fast as I could and I tackled him to the ground, straddling his hips. With one hand, I held him to the ground so he wouldn't escape. I punched him in the face, hard, with my other hand. I punched him repeatedly, ignoring the unbearable pain on my hand.

One of his friend's tried to pull me away from him but Sam grabbed him by the arm and kicked him to the ground. He did the Sam with the other guy. I continued to punch Steven, not caring what would happen to him.

"Freddie.... Freddie... FREDDIE," Sam's voice brought my back to reality and I realized what I just did. Steven was passed out on the ground with a bloody nose. A small crowd formed around us. I was breathing hard and I suddenly hated myself. I felt drops of water fall on my head. Rain started to fall down, hard and the small crowd around us scattered.

Not bothering to look at Sam, I quickly ran away from the scene. I heard Sam call for me but I ignored her. I ran and ran until I got to the cemetery. I collapsed in front of my dad's tombstone and tears started to slide down my face. I couldn't help him. Steven pushed my buttons.

I missed my dad. I missed talking to him, I missed his advice, and more importantly, I missed fencing with him.

"I miss you, dad," I whispered. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked up, not bothering to wipe the tears from my face because I was soaking wet form the rain anyways. Sam was looking at me, her eyes were watery.

"Freddie," her voice cracked. She sat down in front of me and I immediately embraced her into a tight hug. I buried my face in her neck and I continued to cry. She started crying too.

"What did I do?" I said loud enough for her to hear.

"Nothing wrong. He deserved to get punched," she said, her hands stroking my hair.

"I'm so sorry, Sam for what you saw back there. I just... I just miss him so much," I cried. She pulled back and I looked into her eyes. She caught my lips with hers.

"Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything wrong," she said after we pulled away.

"I feel like an idiot," I confessed.

"You're not... I miss my dad too," her voice cracked again and she began to cry... again. I pulled her into a tight hug and we cried together.

If I didn't have Sam with me, I don't know what I would do. I had this amazing girl by my side. She laughed with me, played with me, and cried with me. We held each other until our cries and the rain stopped. We were soaking wet but I didn't care. I had Sam.

We walked back to where I attacked Steven, picked up the basketball I left behind (Steven and his friends were nowhere in sight), and then we headed back to my apartment. My mom gave Sam some of her old clothes for her to wear and once we were both dry, we took Sam home. I took Sam's hand and walked her to her front door.

"I'm sorry that our little date was ruined," I sighed, feeling completely miserable.

"There's always tomorrow," she murdered. I gave her a small smile.

"You're the best," I whispered before closing the distance between us. I pulled her into a very passionate kiss, completely forgetting that my mom was watching us. I heard a honk and we both pulled away, laughing. I gave her one last kiss, before going back into my mom's car.

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**Sooo what did you guys think? Please review and let me know your thoughts. **

**The next few chapters are going to get pretty crazy. Next chapter, Sam is going to explore the idea of her becoming a music teacher and she will get her car fixed. The chapter after the next, Sam and Freddie will have their first official fight. THEN, Freddie will go away on that field trip for a week. That part will play a VERY important one in the story.**

**I can't wait to update. Hopefully I won't take so long this time.**

**So yeah, please review. And if you have a twitter, don't forget to follow me steffy213 :)**


	21. Chapter 20: Thinking of our Future

**Hey readers. I apologize for the delay. I kind of lost my inspiration... but now it's back.**

**This chapter isn't a BIG one. I guess you can call it a "filler" but either way, it's still a good one. Sam pretty much deals with any future plans such as what college she's going to go to, what she's going to study in college, and how her and Freddie are going to live their future together. There will also be some Sam and Gibby interaction that might make you say "awww" LOL**

**So yeah... I hope you like it. :)**

**Ps. I totally loved the new iCarly movie. Tongue in the ear... Nora kissing that one girl... Gibby kicking ass... Guppy. Enough said lol.  
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April arrived pretty quickly. A bit too quick for my liking. Sometimes I enjoy when times just passes me by and I don't have to wait for anything. Patience isn't exactly my best friend. But... this was one of those rare occasions where I actually wanted time to go by slow. Slow as a snail if possible but it was no use. In the blink of an eye, it was early April and our second to last day of school, a Thursday to be more specific. I only had three days left until Freddie's big field trip in Los Angeles. Three days to spend as much time as possible with him before that week long seminar he had worked so hard to attend since I met him.

A week without Freddie was something that was hard for me to think about. We saw each other almost everyday. The worst part was that I would have to spend my entire spring break without him. I could work at the Groovy Smoothie all day everyday but where would I go afterward? Carly has a boyfriend and we're not best friends so I can't go into her house everyday, asking her if I could hang out at her house. As much as I didn't want to think about it, it was always on my mind.

Freddie and I were laying on his bed, cuddling. After work, Freddie invited me over to his house for dinner. His mom made some delicious lasagna. It was so good, I had to get seconds and thirds. After dinner, Freddie took me to his room so we could watch a movie on his laptop together. After a while, we just stopped paying attention to the movie and we just focused our attention on each other. We didn't say much while we were in his room, just holding him as close and as tight as possible was more than enough for me. I wanted to make the most out of our last few days together.

My head was resting on his chest and my arms were hugging his waist while he had one hand around my waist and the other was on the back of my head, stroking my hair. I closed my eyes, loving the feeling of having Freddie in my arms. I was so tired from work earlier and the pure sound of his breathing and his heartbeat almost put me to sleep. I loved it... so much.

"It's almost ten," I sighed, breaking the comfortable and peaceful silence in the room.

"Ugh, do you have to go?" he asked as we both sat up on the bed.

"You know I want to get home before my mom does," I explained. If I had the chance, I'd stay with Freddie all night and not stay in that house with my mother. But until I could figure out a way to leave her by the time I turned 18, I stayed at Freddie's house until ten and I'd go back home before my mom would from her 'job.' She'd be too tired to come after me once I lock myself up in my room.

I recently got my car fixed so I was able to stay at Freddie's house a bit later than I used to. I used to always leave around seven or eight to catch the bus. I know I'm tough and I can defend myself, but there are a lot of creeps out there, especially in my neighborhood at night. I didn't want anything bad to happen to me and I certainly didn't want to worry Freddie any further.

"I know," he sighed. "I'm just glad your car is fixed so you don't have to go home so early. And you don't have to take the bus."

I smiled. "Yeah... too bad it cost me like a thousand bucks to get that old thing fixed."

"Well, I say it's worth it because I get more time with you," he said softly as he leaned in to kiss me. I smiled against his lips as he laid me down on the bed softly, moving his body so that he has half on top of me. The kiss was slowly becoming more heated and passionate. We haven't kissed like that in a quite a while so it felt good to kiss him the way we were kissing again. Before we both got carried away, we pulled back and sat up again.

I got up from the bed to gather my things. When I put my backpack on, Freddie pulled me into a tight hug, burying his face in my neck. I shuddered a little as I felt his hands go up and down my waist.

"Freddie, I'm never going to get home if you keep doing that," I laughed as I hugged him too, patting his back softly. He still wouldn't let me go so I reached behind his head and thumped him with my fingers.

"Ow...," he reached behind his head to rub the spot that I hit. I laughed.

"I have to get home," I said, kissing his cheek.

"Okay but I'm walking you to your car."

"Like you always do," I smiled. He took my hand and we slowly began to walk towards my car. When we arrived at our destination, Freddie pulled me into another tight hug, one that I couldn't back away from. I held him close to me and then pulled back to look at him. We leaned in closer until our lips met. We kissed for a few seconds before I pulled back and planted small pecks on his lip.

"So do you want to come over again tomorrow?" Freddie asked as he pulled me into another hug. I leaned onto his chest as he rested his chin on my head.

"Well...," I said, playing with the collar of Freddie's shirt. "I don't have work tomorrow but I do have to meet with my counselor after school. If you want I'll come over after my meeting."

"That sounds great," he smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

We kissed one last time before we finally let go of each other. I got inside of my car and drove back to my house, locking myself up in my room immediately.

* * *

I walked into the counseling office, after school, the next day. Not only was I going to go over my weekly with Mrs. Adams, but I needed to talk to her about what I was going to do after high school. I never saw myself as some smart college student but as graduation got closer, I couldn't stop thinking of what I was going to do with the rest of my life. Freddie is smart and full of potential. I knew he would be going places and I was just some careless girl who got bad grades since kindergarten. He's applied to many colleges like USC, UCLA, and CSUN. All great colleges in California and I was afraid that he'd leave and I'd stay in Seattle doing nothing.

I wanted to work something out. Something that allowed me to stay with Freddie.

Mrs. Adams came out and motioned me to follow her into her small office. I sat down on the same chair I always sat on every Friday afternoon and I handed her my weekly. She looked over it a few times, reading what every single of my teachers had to say about my progress that week. A smiled spread across her face and she lifted her head up to look at me.

"Well Sam, it seems that you have improved a lot. You won't be needing a weekly anymore. Congratulations," she said, her smile widening.

"Really? Have I improved that much?" I asked, not believing my ears. I knew I was improving, but I didn't realize that I improved tot he point where I didn't need to meet my counselor every Friday.

"Yes. I'm really proud of you Sam. This has been such a transformation for you. Now, I know you also wanted to discuss a few things with me?"

"Yeah," I gulped. "I've been thinking a lot about college lately..."

"Oh, well that's normal. A lot of seniors are thinking about college, especially now that graduation is about two months away. Have you applied to any colleges?"

"See that's the thing, I haven't. I started thinking about it about a week or two ago. It's all confusing me," I said, not knowing how to explain to her that I wanted to find a way to go to school in California if Freddie goes.

"Okay," she sighed, taking off her glasses. "Do you know what you want to study in college? What do you like to do?"

I thought about it long and hard after Freddie and I talked about our future on iChat. I was really considering studying music after high school. Freddie gave me this boost of self esteem when he said that I was so talented.

I thought about opening up to Mrs. Adams. I knew she would ask me what got me convinced to pursue music. I'd had to tell her about Freddie sooner or later. Opening up was very hard for me. It took me a while to let Freddie in and it took me even longer to get along with Carly but this was my counselor and I really appreciated her for not giving up on me like other people have in the past.

"Well... my uh boyfriend said that I would make a good music teacher," I said softly.

"You have a boyfriend Sam?"

"Yeah. One day we were talking about what our lives are going to be like after high school. He's applied to lots of good colleges in California. He's really smart and I have no doubt he will get accepted to one of those colleges. He'll go on and get his education and then I'll be stuck here. I'm trying to figure out what I can do so I don't spend the rest of my life at the Groovy Smoothie."

It felt pretty good to let it out and tell her about this.

"And he said you could be a music teacher?"

"Uhh... yeah. The songs I write for Creative Writing are songs that I like to sing and play on the guitar."

"Well... I didn't know that you could sing and play the guitar, Sam. But if you feel like pursuing a music career then you have a lot of options. And I get the feeling that you want to follow your boyfriend to California so here are some applications to some good community colleges in California. You can take your general education at these locations and once you have enough credits, you can get transferred to a four year college. Does that sound good to you?"

She handed me a stack of applications from different colleges.

"Oh and let's not forget this," she said as she reached for another form. "This is a fafsa. It's to help you pay for school if you qualify. Fill it out at soon as you figure out what college you want to go to. I recommend you do this as soon as possible. The earlier you get these filled out, the better. And if you ever need anymore help, I'm always going to be here in my office."

I smiled. "Wow... thanks Mrs. A."

"You're very welcome. And congratulations on your improvement. That diploma will be in your hands before you know it."

I stuffed all of the forms into my backpack and I walked out of the office. I suddenly felt a little more confident that I could make something positive out of my life. Hell, I've already made a huge change in my life. Ever since my dad died, ever since that day I met Freddie at the cemetery. If I could stop bullying people, stealing money, and flunking every class, then I sure as hell can start building a good future for me. I was determined.

I walked out of school, grabbing some Fat Cakes from the vending machines on my way out of course, and I made my way back home. I was just going to get the car so I could drive to Freddie's house.

As I was crossing the street, I saw two figures a few feet away from me. It was Gibby and a little boy who looked just like him. Gibby and I started to get along a little better. And by a little, I mean things were still very awkward between us but that's Freddie's best friend. I really did try my best to get along with him. I decided to approach him and try to make conversation.

"Gibby... hey," I said awkwardly. He looked at me and gave me a nervous smile.

"Oh hey Sam," he said nervously, grabbing the little boy's hand.

"Who is that?"

"Uh, this is my little brother, Guppy."

Guppy walked up to me and offered me his hand. I took it and he shook my hand lightly. Then he ran towards a bush a picked a few flowers before running back to me with a big smile on his face.

"Happy Birthday," he said as he handed me the flowers. I laughed as I gladly took them from him.

"Ha ha. Thank you Guppy," I said as I brought the flowers to my nose and smelled them.

"He likes you," said Gibby.

"I like him too," I patted Guppy on the head. "So um what are you doing?"

"I'm taking Guppy to the park. What about you?"

"I'm going to my house to get my car. Then I'm going to Freddie's house."

"I see. Do you want us to walk with you?"

I nodded and we walked towards my house. It didn't take long for the awkward tension between us to dissolve. We began talking like we were best friends. I could honestly say that Gibby wasn't so bad. I remembered when I started stealing money from him, I chose him because he looked like a defenseless nerd that wouldn't fight back but I learned a lot from him in that short walk to my house. Like about the way he likes to walk around school shirtless, which I never understood. But he was really nice so I gave him credit for that.

"You know Freddie says a lot of nice things about you when we're at school, right?" he said. Somehow our conversation became about Freddie.

"I didn't know that," I said honestly.

"He said you're the best thing that has ever happened to him."

My heart began to race at the words Gibby said.

We were finally in front of our house and I said my goodbye's to Gibby and Guppy. I quickly got into my car before my mom could notice that I was around and I made my way to Freddie's apartment.

I saw him waiting for me in front of his building. I found a parking spot and quickly parked. When got out of my car, I saw him standing a few feet away with open arms. I couldn't help myself. Gibby's words were lingering in my head the entire car ride. _He said you're the best thing that has ever happened to him. _I threw myself into Freddie's arm and I held him tight and close to my body, not wanting to let go of him. Not wanting anything to ruin this moment for me.

Suddenly, I wasn't so upset about him leaving me for a week. Like I said, time usually passes me by pretty quickly and if I didn't dwell on it too much, he'd be back in a snap of my fingers. I just had to find a way to occupy myself.

I didn't know how long we were holding each other. I closed my eyes as I hugged him tighter and tighter. If I could, I would have spent the entire evening in his arms, in the middle of the sidewalk, not caring if people saw or stared at us.

He's the best thing that has ever happened to me.

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**Awww so what did you guys think? I hope you liked it. The two are so close to saying their I Love You's.**

**This chapter was kind of short but like I said, it wasn't a huge chapter. Originally, I was going to have Sam and Freddie talk about what Sam and Mrs. Adams went over but I decided to use that specific scene in a later chapter of the story.**

**Okay so the next few chapters are going to be HUGE. Sam and Freddie will have their very first fight as a couple in the next chapter. It's going to be pretty intense. And I'm going to start typing it up tomorrow and get it up on this site as soon as I'm done.**

**I want you all to do me a favor first. My other story, Summer Vacation, is in desperate need of reviews. I worked REALLY hard on the last chapter and it barely got reviews. The story has 27 and all I'm asking for is 30. Can you guys make it happen? So if I get 30 reviews on that, I will update this story faster. I promise. I want to get the next chapter up as soon as I can.**

**Oh, I wanted you all to know that I still have that list of stories you all recommended me to read and rewiew. It's a long list so if I don't get to your story, I will eventually and I will feature it in one of my author notes after I'm done reviewing it. If you want me to check out your story, leave a review with the title of your story and I will be more than happy to check it out.**

**And in this chapter, I would like for you all to check out Kpfan72491's stories. I can honestly say that she is one of my favorite people on here. She's super sweet and she has a lot of great ideas. Her stories are great too so check them out.**

**Okay that's it for now. Review and let me know what you guys think of this chapter. :)**


	22. Chapter 21: Why?

**Hey hey!**

**I'm so happy to know that you all liked the last chapter. And I promised I would update very soon so here is the next update.**

**This chapter will pretty much start the beginning of Sam and Freddie's first fight. It will continue onto the next chapter. I really hope you guys like it, though it might break your heart towards the end. And I really hope that this chapter isn't so predictable. I want to keep you guys not knowing what's going to happen next.**

**So here it is. Enjoy.**

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I don't know what happened to Sam that made her want to hold me the way she did on that Friday afternoon. She ran to me with open arms and hugged me tightly, refusing to let go. Not that I was complaining but I was really curious to know what happened. She didn't say anything and despite my curiosity, I didn't ask her about it. I just held her close to me too, enjoying the feeling of having my arms around her and having her arms around my neck.

I completely lost count on how long we were standing outside in each others' arms. She didn't seem to mind and neither did I. After a while, I just guessed that she was upset about me leaving on Sunday and wanted to spend as much time with me as possible. And that's why I didn't let go of her either.

Going to that week long seminar in Los Angeles was something that I longed for since the fall, since before my dad died, since before I met Sam. And now that I had her with me, it killed me to leave her alone in Seattle. I wanted to go to this field trip, it was important to me. But ever since Sam and I started going out, I couldn't bear the thought of spending one week without seeing her, holding her, kissing her, cuddling with her, and a bunch of other stuff that I enjoyed doing with her.

But I had to go to this seminar. What better workshop could help me with my career? I worked too hard and too long for this that I couldn't just back away. I endured hours on my feet, trying to sell candy to people around Seattle. I had to endure Steven and his puppets stealing my candy. I wasn't going to throw it all away. I figured that if I didn't think about it too much, that week will just fly by me and in no time, and I would have Sam back in my arms again.

After Sam and I finally let go of each other, we walked back to my place and hung out in the fire escape until it was time for Sam to leave. We shared the lawn chair that I always kept in there and cuddled together and we had a large blanket keeping us warm. We shared my headphones and listened to music the entire night. There were times when Sam would sing along to some of the songs on my MP3 player. I couldn't get enough of her voice. I couldn't get enough of her

I wanted to stay that way, just me and her, forever.

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The next day, I had to wake up early. It was the day before we had to leave to Los Angeles and the AV Club had an important meeting at school. We needed to go over everything that we planned and make sure that it would all run smoothly.

I walked to school and into the club. Everyone arrived with eager looks on their faces. And I couldn't blame them. Everything that we worked so hard for was finally paying off. Everything seemed so unreal to me while we were selling all of that candy but now that the seminar was just days away, I couldn't believe that we actually pulled this off. We were actually going on this trip.

I signaled everyone to settle down and I stood in front of the room so that I was facing everyone.

"Okay, so I bet a lot of you are excited about leaving tomorrow night. I just wanted to make sure that everything is organized. Shane could you come over here with the portfolio?"

Shane stood by me, holding a portfolio that held every little piece of information that we needed for this trip to be successful. Everything had to be perfect. If not, then the entire trip would be ruined.

"Did we print out the hotel's booking confirmation?"

"Yes," said Shane. "And we have four single rooms booked. One for two people to share."

"Great. Do we have all eight entrance passes that allow us into the Science Center?"

"Yup, including the one for our supervisor."

"Do we have the check to give to the Science Center's manager once we arrive?"

"It's safely stored in this envelope," he said, waving around a plain white envelope.

"Perfect. And is the school bus that we're taking to California ready?"

"Sure is. This email that I printed out says that the bus will pick us up at the Ridgeway parking lot at seven."

"Well then," I said with a wide grin on my face. "It looks like we are all ready for this field trip. Are you guys excited?

Everyone in the room jumped form their seats and began to cheer. We have cake in celebration.

After the meeting, I still had two hours to kill before Sam's shift was over so I decided to go to the cemetery to visit my dad. I owed him a proper visit because the last I visited my father was when I attacked Steven. When I went back to school after what I did to Steven, I expected him come after me and beat the heck out of me. No one ever messed with him and his gang and got away with it! I was seriously scared for my life. But when I walked into school, instead of getting beat up, Steven and his friends just ignored me. He would look at me and not do anything. I guess he learned his lesson. A person can only take so much bullying.

I walked back home so I could have lunch with my mom before heading off to the cemetery. My mom has been great lately. She was still protective and didn't approve of me going out at night with Sam so I suggested that Sam should hang out at the apartment with us anytime she wanted. Most of the time it was an everyday but neither of us were bothered. Sam and my mom were getting along great and my mom was more than happy to have her in the house. I felt so lucky.

I entered the apartment to find my mom in the kitchen, making lunch. Perfect timing.

"Hey mom," I greeted her with a kiss on her cheek.

"Hey honey, I made my special guilt free chalupas," she said, excitedly.

"They look great. I'll set up the table," I said and I began to to set up the table for lunch. I opened the fridge and took out a pitcher filled with lemonade and poured two glasses. My mom came to to the table with two plates full of chalupas. We sat down and began to eat.

"Wow, this is amazing," I complimented her cooking. "And it's guilt free?"

"Completely guilt free, Freddie," she laughed. "So what do you have planned for today?"

"Well," I started, taking a sip of my lemonade. "I'm going to the cemetery to see my dad. It's been a while"

"Oh okay. That sounds fine. Is Sam coming over again today?"

"Yeah. She's getting out of work soon and she's going to meet me in front of the building."

She smiled at me and we continued eating our lunch. When we were done, I helped clear the table of all the plates and cups and I helped her wash the dishes. I changed into some nicer clothes, and headed out the door. As soon as I closed the door, I was startled by Carly who was standing in front of her apartment. She had a very nervous look on her face that concerned me.

"Hey Carly, are you okay?" I asked, hoping that nothing bad happened to her.

"Oh I'm fine. I'm just a little nervous," she said. I looked at her hands. She was holding her cell phone tightly as if she was trying to keep them from shaking.

"Why? What happened?"

"It's just... Griffin called me and he asked me to meet him at his apartment in thirty minutes. I'm so anxious, I can't just sit here and wait. I'm going to go right now."

I've never seen Carly this nervous before. The last time she was so anxious was during finals week last year. She looked so scared and something inside me told me that Griffin only wanted her over to his apartment to sleep with her. The thought irked me so bad. Sure, my feelings for her became strictly and simply into friendship, I didn't want some guy to just use her for their own pleasures. Carly didn't deserve that.

"Uh.. y-you don't think he's going to force you to uh... do anything, right?" I asked shyly and nervously.

"Oh no. I know he's not going to pressure me to do something that we um w-we h-h-have already done," she said quietly as she let her head fall down. I was really taken back at her words. She already did the deed with Griffin. What did he want then?

"Oh.. um. So what do you think he wants to talk about?"

"I don't know. He sounded pretty serious. I hope everything is okay...," she trailed off. I took a step closer and gave her a comforting hug.

"Don't worry Carls. Everything is going to be fine," I whispered to her, hoping that my words made her feel better.

"Thanks Freddie," she said as we let go of each other. She gave me a small smile.

"I got your back, Carly. I have to go. I'm going to the cemetery and then I'm meeting up with Sam," I said, looking at my phone to check the time. I hugged her one more time and I took my walk towards the cemetery.

Along the way, I bought a few roses for my dad. The ones I put on his grave weeks ago were dry and black. I wanted to show him that even though he isn't around anymore, I still think about him and not a day goes by when I don't miss him. I was feeling guilty about not visiting him for weeks at a time sometimes but school was so hectic and I also tried to spend as much time with Sam as I could so I thought that this visit would make up for it.

I really did miss him.

I sat in front of his tombstone and placed the roses on top. I looked to my left and took a good look at Matthew's grave. I picked a flower from my dad's batch and I placed it in front of Sam's dad's tombstone as a thank you for bringing such an amazing girl into this world. I turned my attention back to my dad and I cleared my throat.

"I miss you so much dad. Things are just not the same without you. I miss spending time with you, fencing with you in the studio, and talking about everything that was on my mind. You were my best friend and the best dad I could ever ask for. I wish you didn't have to go the way did. This world can be so unfair sometimes... There is not a day that goes by when I don't think about you. Sometimes, I wish you were here with me, seeing everything that I have accomplished these past few months. I already had my first kiss and I have the most amazing girlfriend in the world. I wish you were here with me to see how much my life has changed. I miss you so much."

My voice was cracking the entire time but I didn't cry. I didn't want to cry. I cried more than enough the month after my father passed away and I knew that he wouldn't want to see me cry anyways. I knew he wanted to see me happy and wished the best for me. I don't know how long I was at the cemetery but before I knew it, it was time for me to meet Sam.

I walked over to the tombstone and I hugged it tightly, knowing that it was the closest thing I had to holding my dad. I stuffed my hands into my pockets and began to walk back to Bushwell.

* * *

The walk back to Bushwell was short. I guess I was just eager to spend time with Sam so I power walked all the way back home. I was about half a block away when I noticed a girl in front of the building. She definitely wasn't Sam. Her back was against the wall and her hands were covering her face. When I was close enough to get a better look at her, I saw that it was Carly. She was crying. I ran towards her to see what was wrong.

"Carly?" I said as I placed my hand on her shoulder. She jumped up, removing her hands from her face. She looked so sad. Her cheeks were soaked in tears and a combination of mascara and eyeliner were smeared all over her eyes. When she noticed that I was looking at her like she was some kind of mess, she quickly wiped away the tears from her cheeks and most of the eye make up from under her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked softly. Then she took me by surprise. She jumped into my arms, crying hysterically. I had no choice but to hug her back and pat her back, hoping that it would calm her down.

"Griffin... He. He ch-cheated on me," she cried.

"What?" I said loudly, letting go of her so that I was looking her in the eyes.

"You know how I went to his apartment early?" I nodded. "Well I-I walked into the apartment a-and I was about to knock on the door to his room... w-w-when... I heard noises. I opened the door and I found him laying on his bed. He... he had a girl on top of him."

She threw herself into my arms and I hugged her back. How could someone do that to Carly? I knew from the beginning that he was bad news. Carly is nice, sweet, and caring. I didn't understand why he would do that to her. She loved him. She thought he was the one and all he did was toy with her emotions. How dare he?

"He said that he cared for but that he met her a month ago and felt a connection with her. He said he didn't want to hurt me. He was going to break up with me but I caught him before she could leave. God I'm such an idiot," she continued to cry on my shoulder.

"Don't say that Carly. You're a great person. I'm sorry about what he did to you. No one deserves to go through that. And it's his loss. He missed out on a great person," I said as I was rubbing her back. It seemed to calm her down.

"I'm so sorry Freddie," she said. Why was she apologizing? she didn't do anything bad to me.

"For what?"

"For choosing him over you. You're a great guy and I just let my stupid shallow ways get the best of me. I'm so stupid."

My eyes widened.

"What are you saying Carly?" I asked, surprised. Was she saying that she liked me?

Instead of an answer, she pressed her lips against mine. I stared at her with eyes so wide, they could have popped out of my skull. Carly Shay was kissing me. The girl that I always thought I loved. The girl that constantly rejected me to flirt with better looking guys. She was kissing me and I didn't know why. Was I some kind of rebound? Did she think that I still had a thing for her? I wanted to know what was going on in that confused head of hers.

My eyes, still open, started to look at our surroundings. I quickly pushed Carly away from me when I noticed Sam looking at us. She looked hurt, shocked, and disgusted all at the same time. Why did I let Carly kiss me? Why didn't I push her away the second she leaned in? I was such an idiot.

Carly gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. She put her hand down and apologized to Sam. "Sam. Oh my God Sam I'm so sorry. I-"

"Fuck you," she screamed. Then she turned the other way and began to run... fast.

"Why did you do that Carly?" It was my turn to scream at her.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to," she said with sympathy.

"Why did you do it?" I repeated myself, glaring at her. "Do you like me now or something?"

"I don't know why I did it Freddie. I was just upset about Griffin."

"So you just decided to kiss me to make yourself feel better?" I snapped. "I have a girlfriend. She is the most important person in the world to me and because of her she might leave me now."

"I'm sorry," she cried, tears falling down her face. "I don't know what else to tell you. I'm sorry."

With that I began to run after Sam, not caring about leaving Carly behind. I mentally kicked myself for letting her kiss me. I don't know what came over me, why I didn't stop her. Maybe it was the fact that I was always going after this girl and she was finally showing some kind of affection towards me. It was unbelievable and I hated myself the more I thought about it. Sam's my everything. I didn't meant to hurt her. I didn't want to hurt her. She was there for me since day one. She didn't reject me constantly like Carly. She looked past my hobbies, my dorky and nerdy ways, the way I dressed. She accepted me for me and I felt as if I threw it all away because I didn't stop Carly.

I ran as fast as I could, trying to catch up to Sam but she was too fast for me. I had a feeling that she was going to run back home because it was the last place I would look for her. I knew her too well. I ran all the way to her house, not stopping and not caring that I ran past red lights and almost got run over by five different cars. I wanted to apologize to Sam. I needed to apologize her.

I was finally in front of her house and I noticed the door close loudly. I quickly ran to the front door and I knocked on it repeatedly, not stopping. She didn't answer so I resorted to screaming for her.

"SAM! Open the door. Please," I cried out, hoping that she wasn't so mad that she didn't want to speak to me ever again.

"Go away," she screamed and I heard a loud bump. It sounded like she was punching and kicking the door. It startled me.

After minutes of her taking out her anger on the door, the noise finally stopped and I heard something I did not want to hear.

"What are you doing you little bitch?" said a voice I didn't recognize.

"Mom... I-" Sam was cut off and I hear another loud bang. My heart was pounding. I had no idea what was going on. I quickly moved towards the window and I peeked through. Sam's mom was standing over her as Sam was laying on the floor, completely lifeless. She wasn't moving. Then I watched her mom grab her by the hair and push her against the wall. She fell onto the floor and her mom began to kick her in the stomach. Sam wasn't saying anything. She just let her mom kick her over and over and over...

My heart was breaking and a new found hate towards myself flashed through me. I wanted to barge in there and stop my Sam from getting hurt but I was paralyzed. I was completely disgusted at what I was seeing and even more disgusted with myself for not stopping it. Was I that much of a coward? Was I that scared? Why couldn't I protect her? How could someone treat their own flesh and blood that way? How could someone just hit their own daughter that way?

Tears started streaming down my face as she continued to kick Sam over... and over... and over... as I watched without taking action.

I was the worlds biggest coward...

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**How was that for a cliffhanger? I hope it was good lol.**

**So what did you guys think? I was pretty sad as I was typing this. And this chapter didn't really turn out as good as I hoped for but I'm still very much hopeful that you all will like it.  
**

**So Carly kissed Freddie because Griffin cheated on her and Sam caught them.**** About Freddie not stopping Carly. Hell, if I was in Freddie's position, I wouldn't know what to do or say. He doesn't like Carly anymore but he was shocked that after rejecting him so many times, she was finally kissing him. His heart still belongs to Sam ;)... And**** I bet you guys are wondering why Freddie didn't stop Mrs. Puckett from beating up Sam but he was very much scared. The woman is a scary bitch. I wouldn't know what to do either. ****.**** But no worries, he will redeem himself in the next chapter.**

**Speaking of the next chapter, you will get to see Sam's thoughts on Carly kissing Freddie and you will see what happens after Mrs. Puckett stops beating on her. But one thing is for sure. There will be A LOT of Seddie in the next chapter.**

**So review and let me know what you think. :)**

**Ps. For this chapter, I want you guys to check out this story. Where the Sins Lie by whispered love 13. It's a really interesting story about Sam and Freddie during their college years. Basically they make love right before Freddie leaves for college and every holiday break he gets, for four years, him and Sam get together. Sick of waiting so long for him, she meets a new guy but she finds herself stuck in a love triangle. It's a REALLY good story and the author is a fantastic writer. I must warn you, it is rated M and it does have some sexual content. I warned you lol.**


	23. Chapter 22: Making Up

**Hello!**

**So I am loving all of the feedback I got from you all. Thank you all so much for reviewing. It only motivated me to update this story a lot sooner than I planned. I hope you all like this chapter as well.**

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I laid on the floor, exactly where my mom left me. I wanted to get on my feet and run as far away as I could but I was unable to. I just laid there on the floor feeling miserable for myself after everything that happened. My mom heard me banging on the door like some kind of crazy woman and apparently, she wasn't having it. It was so long since my mom beat me brutally and I hated every moment she spent kicking me, punching me, pulling my hair, but this was a rare moment when I didn't mind how hard she kicked me. She kicked me in the stomach God knows how many times and this time, I allowed it. I wanted her to kick me until I was no longer breathing, until my heart was no longer beating, but I was still there.

As soon as I heard the front door open and close, I knew my mom left to do her dirty job. And as soon as I heard the door close, I completely broke down for the second time since my father died. I pushed my forehead against the floor and my hands balled into fists as I began to cry a ridiculous amount of tears. I cried until I was coughing and gasping for air. I cried like I've never cried before. Before two of the worst things that could ever happen to me happened just an hour ago.

So many thoughts were running in my mind the second I turned that corner towards The Bushwell Plaza and saw Carly and Freddie locking lips. My heart was racing and I could feel it slowly breaking. I know what it's like to get hurt by a guy but nothing compared to the pain I was feeling in my chest when I saw Freddie and the girl he used to like kissing in front of their building. I could literally feel my heart splitting in two. I actually felt physical pain in my heart that no kick my mom ever gave me could compare to. I didn't understand why I was hurt so much. I was never this weak, never this vulnerable. But there I was, crying to myself for everything that I have been through since my dad died.

I was still on the floor, crying, when I heard the door open again. I didn't bother to look up because I knew it was my mom. She probably forgot her purse or her condoms. I heard the horrible sound of her walking towards me. The floor creaked slowly with every step. I knew she was going to grab me by the hair again and kick me all over like she did earlier. She always found the smallest reasons to hurt me. But I didn't care this time. I just wanted to get the torture over and done with.

I expected her to grab me roughly and throw me against the floor but instead, I felt a pair of gentle hands on my arms. They lifted me up and pulled me into a loose hug, so that they wouldn't hurt me. Tears were still pouring from my eyes and they caused my hair to stick to my face, so I was unable to see the person that was holding me so gently. I leaned my head on the person's shoulder as I continued to cry.

"Oh God Sam," I heard the person whisper.

It was a shaky whisper. I could tell that they were on the verge of tears. I must have been to caught up in my own crying that I didn't pay attention to the person's face. His voice was so familiar. I pulled away from his shoulder to see his face. It was Freddie, looking at me with watery eyes and a hurt look on his face. I backed away slowly, not wanting to be anywhere near him.

"Get away from me," I said back, matching his shaky whisper.

"Sam, please. Listen to me," he pleaded as he stepped closer to me.

"Get the fuck out of here," I screamed. I ran to him and started punching him in the chest. He was fighting back, trying his best to grab my arms and pull me close to him but I resisted. I kept punching and shoving him away from me. Shoving him towards the door. I yelled at him to get out as we got closer to the door. He was finally out of the house and I slammed the door shut, making sure it was locked.

"GET OUT!" I screamed one more time as I ran back to my room. I threw myself onto my bed and the tears just kept flowing and flowing.

I should have seen it coming. I should have known better. Carly was Freddie's dream girl before I came into his life. It was only a matter of time before she finally took a liking to him. Word's couldn't express how hurt I was when I saw them kissing. I felt like a complete dumb ass for letting my guard down, for letting someone in. I trusted Freddie with everything that I had. I trusted him with my life. I was such an idiot for thinking that maybe I found someone that would like me for me but I guess I was wrong when I found him kissing the girlie girl that every guy goes crazy for. Carly was prettier than me, she was more likable then me. Of course Freddie would kiss her if he had the chance.

I thought he cared about me...

* * *

I ended up crying myself to sleep to sleep that night. I woke up around six in the morning, completely disgusted with myself. I've never cried so much for a guy before. I didn't cry when Doug and I broke up. I didn't even cry the day I watched my father get stabbed by that fucking gangster. Why was I letting myself cry like this? Why was I letting my emotions get the best of me?

I got out of bed and I immediately went into the shower, hoping that the cool water would make me feel more relaxed. Once I was dry and fully clothed, I walked towards the living room. I had no idea what I was going to do. I didn't know how I was going to spend my day because my entire day was reserved for me and Freddie. We were going to spend the entire day hanging out before his big trip.

Then I started thinking of the field trip. I was dreading this day because I knew that he would be leaving in the evening. But now, I was actually kind of thrilled that he would be leaving for a week. I wouldn't see his face for a week. My heart wouldn't be in so much pain. And I definitely wouldn't miss him so much if I didn't see him.

But then I started thinking about my future. I couldn't believe I was actually planning my future in a way that followed Freddie's. I wanted to follow him to California so that we wouldn't be away from each other. I was so damn naive into thinking that we could have lasted a long time. But now, I wasn't so sure. He gave me the best two months of my life and now I was back to being the lonely girl with no friends and an abusive mother.

I decided to take a walk the entire day. I didn't have work and sure didn't want to spend the day at my house in fear of my mom hurting me again. When I walked out of the house, I jumped when I saw someone laying on the front porch. He quickly stood up when he heard the sound of me closing the door. I was shocked to see Freddie there, wearing the same clothes he wore yesterday. His hair was a mess, it was no longer standing up like it always does. It was hanging down and covering his forehead. Too tired to kick him out or even argue with him, I approached him calmly.

"What are you doing here?" I sighed loudly.

"Look Sam, I promised myself I wouldn't leave without explaining myself to you," he said as he tried to grab me by the waist. I backed away from him a little bit to show him that I was still very upset with him. But at that moment, I was more shocked and confused than upset with him.

"Y-you slept on the porch all night?" I asked, not believing what he was saying to me.

"Yes Sam. Screw the field trip, If I leave tonight knowing that you're still upset after what happened yesterday, I'll never live with myself. You are way more important to me than some field trip," he said, looking at me with pleading eyes. I sighed.

"Okay. Explain yourself," I said as I crossed my arms across my chest. Yeah, I was still upset, but the fact that he actually slept on an uncomfortable porch all night kind of made me feel better. He obviously did it because he cared... right?

"I was coming home from the cemetery and I saw Carly crying in front of the building so I asked her what happened. She threw herself at me and hugged me as she cried. She said that Griffin cheated on her and that he was sleeping around with another girl. Next thing I knew, she started kissing me. Believe me Sam. I didn't kiss her and I hate myself for letting her kiss me. And I hate myself even more because I didn't try hard enough to show you last night that it was all a misunderstanding..."

He stopped closer to me, hoping that I would allow him to hold me. This time, I didn't back away. I let him grab my waist, gently. I uncrossed my arms and I placed them around his neck, intertwining my own hands together. I looked straight into his eyes as he continued to speak.

"I'm so sorry for everything that happened yesterday," he whispered as he moved his hands from my waist to my face. He brought my face closer to his. "You're the best thing that has ever happened to me. You're my everything and I want you to know that whatever happened between me and Carly yesterday meant nothing to me. I don't like her anymore. It's all about you now."

My eyes started to water and my heart sped up when he said those words. Those exact words that Gibby said yesterday when we were talking about Freddie. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he did care about me. He leaned in closer until our lips touched. Never in our two month relationship have I ever felt so good and so blessed to have those lips on mine.

I unlaced my fingers and I completely wrapped my arms around his neck as he gently pushed me against the door. His hands went down, touching my shoulders, sliding down my sides until they rested on my hips. After a minute of kissing, he pulled away from my lips and started kissing my neck lightly. He has never kissed me anywhere besides my lips, cheeks, and hands. This feeling was so different but it felt so good at the same time. I was breathing heavily as he continued to kiss the right side of my neck. Then he moved so that he was kissing my throat and shifted so that he was kissing the left side of my neck.

He pulled away and kissed my nose before our foreheads leaned to rest on each other. My back was still pressed against the wall and Freddie's body was pressed against mine. Both of us were still breathing heavily and I decided to speak once my breathing was back to normal.

"I can't believe you slept here all night," I said softly. "What did your mom say?"

"I explained everything to Gibby and I had him cover for me," he kissed my nose again.

"Oh... and about what you said earlier. Was it true? About me being the best thing that has ever happened to you?"

"Sam...," he said, closing his eyes. I closed mine too. "You have no idea how important you are to me. If I didn't care about you, I wouldn't have slept out here in the cold. Everything I said to you is true."

"Okay... I believe you...," I whispered, opening my eyes. Normally, I would never forgive someone for kissing another girl. But Freddie proved to me that he really did care about me. And I felt the same. If I didn't have him by my side, I honestly wouldn't know what to do. I didn't have anyone else and I trusted him. Someone like Freddie doesn't go around kissing other girls. He's proven to be a gentleman and respect me in every way possible.

"Thank you...,"

We stayed silent for a few minutes, enjoying the fact that we were in each others' arms again. I felt at home when I had him with me and I could have held him forever. Our foreheads were still touching, and my eyes were closed.

"So...," I said, opening my eyes and slightly pushing him away from me. "Did my mom see you when she left?"

"Nah... she walked out of the house so fast and didn't even look back. I watched her go into a man's car."

"How embarrassing... OH! Tell me why your mouth is so minty?" I asked, completely remembering the taste of mint when we were kissing earlier.

"Ohh" he chuckled. "When I don't carry around my portable first aid kit, my mom makes me put small bottles of hand sanitizer and mouth wash. I never take them with me when we go on dates but I guess I forgot this time."

We both started laughing. It felt so good to smile and laugh with him again. It felt like I had gone weeks without him when in reality, we only spent one day apart. As we continued laughing, I secretly wished that we would never come to a misunderstanding again.

* * *

The rest of the afternoon consisted of me helping Freddie do some last minute packing. I laughed hysterically when I found his Star Wars boxers. I grabbed them and stared waving them around like some kind of flag. He knew I wasn't making fun of him, and he didn't take it the wrong way which was good. After a while, he chased me around the room and I avoided him at all costs. He finally caught up to me and grabbed by the hips, throwing me onto his bed. He landed next to me and we continued to laugh until the room went silent and we began kissing.

When we were done packing, we watched a movie in the living room while Freddie's mom prepared dinner for us. This time, she made spaghetti and meatballs. The three of us ate silently. It wasn't an awkward silence, we enjoyed each others' company. But there really wasn't much for me to say at the moment. It finally hit me that Freddie was leaving in less than an hour.

I tried not to get so upset, but deep down inside I was. I didn't show it though.

When we were done eating, Freddie grabbed his things and we took that dreaded walk to Ridgeway High where the entire AV Club was meeting so that the bus could pick them up. Freddie and I walked hand in hand while Mrs. Benson walked a few feet apart from us. Every now and then, Freddie would squeezed my hand, assuring me that the week would just fly us by and we would be in each others' arms in no time. The closer we got to that school, the closer I was to believing that this week would be the slowest week of my life.

We finally reached the Ridgeway parking lot where everyone was waiting for the bus to arrive. Mrs. Benson attacked Freddie with kisses all over his cheeks and forehead. I laughed at the sight and I laughed that she had no problem doing that in front of the entire AV Club. Sure, it was silly but Freddie was really lucky to have a caring mother. My mom never showed me her caring side, not even before she turned into a drunken prostitute.

Freddie managed to get his mom to back off and he walked over to me. He took my hand and led me a more private space so that we could talk. He sighed deeply before pulling me into a hug. I don't think I could ever get enough of them. Ever. He pulled back, his hands remained on my waist though.

"I'm going to miss you so much, Sam," he whispered, his eyes were staring into mine. I swear, I got goosebumps at how intense they looked at that moment.

"Me too..."

"What are you going to do? I don't want you to stay in your house. Remember that promise you made me," he said. I remembered that promise I made him. That if my mom ever hit me again, he would come get me. But this was different. He couldn't get me this time. He was going to spend one week in California and he wouldn't be around to protect me. No one else knew about my mom hurting me. Not even his mother.

"I know, but you won't be there. I don't want to tell your mom about mine and have her freak out. I'll be extra careful," I assured him.

"Are you sure? Because I don't want you getting hurt."

"Okay, look. I promise that if anything happens to me after you come back from your trip, then I'll ask you to come get me. Until then, I'll just be extra careful. You know I always have been these past few weeks," I smiled at him. He gave me a small smile back.

"Okay," he whispered. We heard a loud honk and we saw the bus pulling into the parking lot. We both groaned, knowing that this was goodbye for now. But before we made that walk towards the bus, he leaned in and kissed me. I moaned quietly as he deepened the kiss, knowing that it would be our last one before we saw each other again in a week. We heard a loud, fake cough coming from Mrs. Benson and we pulled away from each other.

I watched Freddie as he grabbed his things and walked towards the bus. I wanted to get something off my chest before he took that first step into the bus. I ran to him and turned him around, giving him one last hug. I leaned up towards him and I whispered something in his ear before I finally let go of him and watched the bus drive away until it was no longer in sight.

"You are the best thing that has ever happened to me too..."

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**Okay so there it is. I thought this chapter was really sweet. How awesome is Freddie for pretty much risking his life, sleeping on the porch of a house located in such a bad neighborhood? Pretty awesome if you ask me.**

**I didn't want Sam and Freddie to break up so I had them work it out. So yes, they are still together. Yay lol.  
**

**So the next chapter will be in Freddie's point of view of course. Pretty much, you will see how his week goes without Sam. He also has something very special planned for her that he will give to her when he comes back. One of my fellow readers actually gave me the idea so I really can't wait to start working on the next chapter.**

**I wanted to let you guys know that the story is kind of almost done but we still have a long way to go. The story will end sometime in the summertime. I still have to write about Sam's birthday, what will happen to Sam's mom (believe me, I have BIG plans for her,) prom, graduation, and other sweet things I have planned for our favorite iCarly couple.**

**Anyways, I wanted to ask you guys something. Who do you like better? Carly and Griffin or Carly and Jake? This is for the other story I am working on.**

**Well, I hope you guys liked this chapter. Review please. :)**

**PS. For this chapter, I recommend you guys to read Aquarius Princess' A Darkened Mind series. It's a two part story and it's really intense. It deals with Sam and Freddie being in a very dangerous and abusive relationship but it's not your typical story where the girl is the one getting abused. This is one of my favorite series so I definitely think you all should check them out if you haven't already.**


	24. Chapter 23: A Week Without Sam

**Well hello my fellow fanfic lovers LOL. I'm glad you all liked the last chapter.**

**I wanted to take the time to say something to you all. I was reading reviews from the first few chapters and I noticed something. Soooo many people have reviewed this story. I just wanted to say that whether or not you stuck around throughout the story, I am so freaking thankful for each every one of you. Every review has just given me that little push I need to write more and more. You guys are amazing. This story has 254 reviews. I never thought I'd ever get that much. So again, I thank you guys. And I'm gonna stop there before I get emotional. :)**

**Another thing, I have TWO story ideas floating around in my head. Yes, they are Seddie but I don't think I'm gonna post them anytime soon. I want to wait until I'm done with this story and/or Summer Vacation before I start working on another fic. But if you guys want, I can send you guys a little summary of my future fics. **

**So here is the next chapter of YLYW. I reallllly hope you like it.**

**Ps. I don't know how long it takes to get from Washington to California by car. I'm guessing over 18 hours (without stopping) cause my friend came from Seattle to California in a truck once and from what I remember, it took her that long. I could be wrong, seeing as I'm horrible at remembering things. If I got it wrong, I apologize. And one last thing, I'm not going to focus this chapter on the computer seminar that Freddie goes to. This whole chapter is pretty much about that little surprise he does for Sam. ;)**

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The harsh rays of the sun woke me up that Monday afternoon. I didn't get a lot of sleep because the seats in the bus were really uncomfortable and I had Sam on my mind the entire night. But since I didn't sleep well either when I decided to sleep on Sam's porch, my eyes lost their battle to gravity a few hours after we left and I fell asleep. I lifted my head, away from the cold window and I looked around me. We were in California.

It took us over eighteen hours to get to California. The driver drove the entire night, stopping only once so we could find a place to use the bathroom. We decided it was best to just get there without making a lot of stops so the drive wouldn't be so long.

My stomach was in knots as we got closer to our hotel. I still couldn't believe what was happening. I smiled to myself as I looked out the window. For a whole week, me and the rest of the AV Club were going to get some hands on experience building computers and learning more about career opportunities. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I couldn't be more proud of myself for organizing everything.

When the bus driver finally pulled into the hotel's parking lot, everyone cheered in excitement. After we checked in, we all settled into our hotels rooms. The seminar didn't start until Tuesday so we had the rest of the evening to just relax and catch up on sleep. Some of the AV Club members didn't sleep at all and they were all very tired. I threw myself onto the bed, enjoying the soft feeling of the mattress. It felt good to lay in an actual bed after sleeping uncomfortably for two nights in a row. I looked over to the bed next to mine, and Shane was fast asleep.

Shane and I decided to share a room together. We weren't best friends but he was my closest friend in the AV Club and I enjoyed his company. Unlike me, Shane was a bit more popular which was something that I never understood. We're both active members of the AV Club and we get good grades. People always liked him better because he was taller and girls thought he was 'hot.' I was always jealous of all the attention he would get. He didn't have to deal with bullies or people making fun of him. He didn't have to deal with the fact that girls wouldn't give him the time of day. He was really a lucky guy but I couldn't envy him too long. He wasn't cocky and he was always a good friend to me.

I looked past Shane and I noticed a guitar case leaning on the wall. I didn't know that Shane played the guitar. He never mentioned it to me before. Maybe it was a hobby of his. Then, I started thinking about Sam. So much happened the past two days that for a moment I actually thought I was going to loose her. She was so upset over the fact that Carly kissed me and to top it all off, her mom had to attack her. The pain in my chest after watching her get beat up was unbearable. She completely broke down and cried harder than the last time I saw her cry. Things just weren't going well for her and I hated myself for causing it. I enjoyed nothing more than seeing her laugh, smile, and sing. Watching her get hurt was something that I couldn't bare to witness. What made the situation worse was that all of that drama happened the day before I left for the trip. I refused to leave Seattle without showing Sam how much I was sorry. Lucky for me, she allowed me to explain everything to her. I couldn't explain how happy I was when she forgave me. I kissed her with every bit of passion I had in me and I held her as tight as possible. Right before I left, she said that I was the best thing that has ever happened to her.

I missed her so much and it was only my first day in California. I took my phone out of my pocket and decided to call her.

"Sup?" she answered after a few rings. I big smile formed on my face the moment she picked up. Her voice always filled me with joy, no matter the distance between us.

"Hey Sam. You're not busy right?" I asked. I hoped that she wasn't so busy so we could at least talk for a little while.

"Nah. I'm on my break right now." Perfect timing.

"That's good. So how was your day? Did your mom hurt you?" I asked quietly, careful not to wake up Shane. I was still a little uneasy with the fact that Sam decided to stay at her house instead of mine. I didn't want her mom to hurt her.

"Nope. I avoided her like I always do. I asked T-Bo for the afternoon and night shift so I don't get off till really late."

"I'm sorry I can't be there with you. But I promise that this week will be over before you know it," I said, hoping that she could be a little more optimistic about the situation, though it was hard for me as well.

"It's okay... look, I have to go. My break is over," she sighed.

"I miss you," I said softly before hanging up. I frowned, knowing that this would be the start of a long week. I only hoped that the seminar would keep me busy enough so that I wouldn't have to think about how much I'd miss that.

I placed my phone on the nightstand and I fell asleep, ready for the workshop the next day.

On the first day of the workshop, we were pretty mach given an introduction to the workshop. The man who organized the entire seminar gave us a brief summary of what we would expect throughout the entire week. We were also given a case filled with computer parts that we had to put together. The computers were going to go to an elementary school that can't afford computers. I smiled at the thought of helping other people. After our lunch break, we all saw a lengthy film that showed up how to put these computer together so we wouldn't get lost when we had to put computers together ourselves.

For three days straight, we all spent eight hours working on these computers. It was a challenge but I was learning so much. And the more I learned about how computers worked, the more I was convinced that this what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Building computers and helping others with whatever problems they had in relation to their desktops or laptops.

This entire seminar was really a dream con true.

* * *

The week really did pass me by. Keeping myself busy helped me not think about Sam all the time but every night, I found myself wondering if she was okay. I didn't call or text her, knowing that she was working the night shifts just so she wouldn't go home so early to face her mom. I knew she would be exhausted and I didn't want to interrupt her sleep.

It was Saturday evening and our last day in California. We would be heading to Seattle in the afternoon on Sunday. We were all getting ready to go bed but I just couldn't sleep. I stared at the ceiling, thinking about what I would do once I reunite with Sam. My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Shane playing his guitar. His back was against the headboard and his eyes were closed. Nothing reminded me of Sam at that moment. That guitar, and the sound of every chord made me miss her more and more.

"I didn't know you played the guitar," I said to Shane, interrupting his little jam session. He played the guitar all week but it wasn't until now that I mentioned it.

"It's just something I like to do on my free time," he smiled, putting his guitar down and turning to face me.

"You know, my girlfriend plays the guitar too. She sings and writes her own music as well," I said, my voice filled with pride.

"Yeah? How good is she?"

"Amazing. Do you want to hear one of her songs?" I asked. He nodded and I pulled my laptop out of my backpack. Sam sent me the MP3 of the song she sang to me the day I asked her to be my girlfriend. She used the program I installed into the laptop I gave her to record the song for me. I listened to it every night, loving the sound of her voice when she sings. When he was done listening to the song, he looked really impressed.

"Wow, that was amazing. Your girlfriend is really talented," he said. I smiled, knowing how lucky I was to have someone like her in my life.

"I know...,: I said softly. "I miss her a lot."

"I can tell. The way you looked at the screen when you played the song and how you wouldn't stop smiling when you talked about her. I have to ask you something. Do you love her?" I drifted off into my own little world when he asked me that. I've always liked Sam. I've always cared about her and she's the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me. But I never thought about the word Love before. Well, I thought about it when I was crushing on Carly but that was simply a crush and I moved on from it. I was scared to think about Love when it came to Sam. I was always scared of loosing her, like the way I almost lost her before my trip to California. We've been through so much together, that I couldn't picture my life without her. She's my everything.

I thought about it hard. I knew nothing about Love but I was pretty certain that I loved Sam. From the moment I first saw her at the cemetery, the way her blue eyes hypnotized me. I was certain that there was something special about her. We've done so much for each other. I've done things for her that I've never done for Carly. I never treated Carly to lunch, I never made her bracelets, and I never asked her out to hang at the park. It was more than just love I felt for her, I was falling in love with her. That's when I decided to do something special for her. To show her that I'm so in love with her and that I'd do anything for her.

"I think I am," I said, looking down. "But I haven't told her."

"When do you plan on telling her?"

"I think I'm going to tell her when I see her on Monday morning. But I don't want to just tell her that I love her. Can you help me with something?"

"Sure what do you need help with?"

"Can you teach me how to play the song that Sam wrote? The one I showed you?" I asked. Sam and I don't have a lot in common. The only thing we DO have in common is the one thing that brought us together. The death of our fathers. I didn't want just THAT to be something we have in common. She loves music and I love computers. I was the one getting bullied and she was the one bullying kids. We are complete opposites. I wanted to show her that her music is important to me too, even though I already told her how I feel about her music. Actions speak louder than words and I wanted to learn how to play the song she wrote for me on the guitar and have her sing along.

"Of course, it's actually pretty simple so it won't take you long to memorize the entire song," he smiled and picked up his guitar. I spent over two hours learning the song that Sam wrote. I was a bit rusty but Shane said I got most of it down and that it didn't matter how good I was or not. It's the thought that counts. I felt so accomplished when I finally got the whole song down.

"You're getting the hang of it Freddie. I'm sure your girlfriend will be happy when you show her what you've been practicing," he smiled at me. I handed him back his guitar and he stored it in his guitar case. Then I began to think about something else. I remember that story I heard in school when I was child about a man and a woman who do something when they love each other. The story was never detailed and I didn't know exactly what the two people would do but then it all came clear to me.

"Have you ever been in love?" I asked Shane.

"I thought I was," he sighed. "I dated a girl at my old school for a few months. I did a lot for her. I spoiled her and I took her on romantic dates. All along, she was just using me to get her ex back."

I was shocked. Girls loved Shane. How could someone just use him? "Wow I'm sorry about that Shane."

"It's okay. It wasn't meant to be. I moved on from it. Maybe later down the road, I'll meet someone that will like me for me, you know? And you know what's the worst part about getting used the way I did? I lost my virginity to her."

Sex was something that I barely thought about when it came to Sam. I've never had a girlfriend before her so just spending time with her was enough for me. I get the biggest thrill from just holding her hand that I didn't even think about having sex with her. My mom did bring it up before when we first started going out. I was honestly scared about what would happen if we ever found ourselves in a situation that could lead to both of us making love.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Sam and I have been together for over two months. I love her with all of my heart but I've never had sex with her. How do you know when it's the right time?" I asked him. I didn't want to just assume that Sam wanted to do something with me. I wanted to make sure that both of us were on the same page.

"The way I see it is like this. Do it when you're ready and when you're both certain that you love each other. People these days only do it because of peer pressure and because they don't want to be seen as losers. Sex is sex. It could either be lustful or meaningful. But Love is different. It's something two people feel and it's a way to show each other how much love it's in them."

Wow. I never knew Shane could be this deep about love. But he's always been a nice guy, unlike most of the 'popular' ones at school who were completely big headed. And I've seen him around girls before. He didn't take advantage of the attention. So in the end, I wasn't so shocked at the words he said to me. I admired the guy for it.

"That's deep..."

"I guess... but if you do plan on doing anything with your girlfriend, be safe okay?" he reached into his bag and pulled out two condoms. I didn't want to question him about the fact that he brought protection on this trip. He handed them to me and I took them from his hand, nervously, giving him a weird look.

"Don't worry, I didn't bring them because I planned on having sex with a girl on this trip. Life is so unexpected and you never know what is going to happen. I'd rather be safe now than sorry later," he said. And what he said made perfect sense. Life really did throw unexpected situations at you. I learned that when my dad got run over by that drunk driver. And I learned that when I met Sam.

"Thanks," I said as I looked at the condoms that Shane gave me

* * *

I didn't sleep at all that night. I stared at the ceiling the entire night, thinking about how my relationship with Sam might change if we take that big step. I knew I loved Sam all along, I just didn't realize it until Shane brought the subject of love up. It all made sense to me now. I would do anything for this girl. Anything to see her happy, to make her smile. I've slept on a porch for her, I've stayed at her house just to take care of her, and so much more.

There is nothing that I wouldn't do for her. I smiled, knowing that I would see her soon. That in a matter of hours, I would be getting back on that bus that would take us back home to Seattle where Sam is. I could hold her and kiss her and tell her how much I love her and how much she means to me. I've never experienced love before but I was sure that what I felt for Sam was love.

The next day, I was ecstatic. After a successful computer workshop in Los Angeles, I was finally going back home. Back to Sam.

* * *

**Wowzers, I was kind of hoping to write a better chapter. I really tried, people. I tried SO hard but writing in a guy's POV is pretty challenging and especially when it comes to something so serious like sex. And not to mention, I got hit with a huge case of Writer's Block today, Twitter was down, AND there were a few earthquakes in California today. They were small but they still left me shaky. Either way, I still hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

**So Freddie realized that he's in love with Sam. I really hope I didn't rush things so much in this chapter. And about Shane, there will be more of him later down the road. He's not playing a big role in this story but he will become involved with Carly later on.**

**The idea of Freddie wanting to learn the song Sam wrote for him on the guitar wasn't entirely my idea. The original idea was given to me by** **The Laughter1234**. **Originally, Freddie was going to sing with Sam but I decided to have Freddie learn the song on the guitar and have Sam sing along. Thanks a lot The Laughter1234 for pitching this idea to me. :)**

**The next chapter will be so much better, I promise. It's going to be about Sam's week without Freddie. There will be some Carly and Sam interaction. I love writing in Sam's point of view. There is something about her character that really intrigues me.**

**So please review and let me know what you think of this chapter  
**

**Ps. For this chapter, I would like for you to check out Daddy's Girl by JunoLuv. It's a pretty intense story but I absolutely love the Seddie. And the cool thing about this story is that it's already finished so you can just read all of it and not have to worry about waiting for an update lol. :)**


	25. Chapter 24: A Week Without Freddie

**Thank you all for your reviews. We are one chapter away until Freddie and Sam are reunited. Until then, here is the next chapter. Enjoy it. There will be a lot of Carly and Sam interaction going on.**

**PS. I want to give a special thank you to ****JustCallMeMrs . Malfoy**** who pretty much read all of my Seddie fics and reviewed a few chapters on Saturday. :)**

* * *

I was cleaning all of the tables at the Groovy Smoothie one morning. Since it was spring break, everyone came here to hang out, unless they were out of town for vacation. I decided to take the morning and night shifts every day until it was time for Freddie to come back so I wouldn't spend the entire week bored doing nothing. I especially didn't want to stay at home with my mother, knowing that she could hurt me and I would have no one to help me. And every afternoon, I'd go hang out at the park or I'd visit my dad at the cemetery. I decided to take the morning and night shifts because the day after Freddie left, I took the entire afternoon and night shift and I was beyond exhausted. The new schedule I decided on allowed me to rest up before my next shift.

Freddie and I didn't talk a lot while he was gone. I knew that he'd spend an entire day working on a computer and I didn't want to bother him. Besides, if I did talk to him everyday, I'd end up missing him more and the week would go by slower for me. The less I thought about him, the less I would miss him. We did talk on Monday once but it wasn't much of a conversation. He had to sleep and I had to work. I just wanted to get the week over and done with.

When I was done with the tables, I walked back to the register. I heard the bell go off, indicating that someone was either coming in or leaving but since I was alone, I knew I had to get ready for customers. I looked up and saw Carly walking towards me, slowly, with her head down. I dropped the F bomb the last time I saw Carly, which was when I caught her kissing Freddie. I didn't know what to expect from her and I didn't know what to expect from myself. Part of me was angry at her and wanted to slam her face against a brick wall and rub it around for a few minutes but a small part of me wanted to hear her side of the story. Carly is the only girl that actually tried to form some kind of friendship with me and I really appreciated it.

After what seemed like hours, Carly finally stood in front of me. She spoke to me quietly. "Hey... Sam."

"Hey!" I said flatly, looking at her with a blank expression.

"Can I talk to you?" she asked, shyly. I could tell she was afraid of me. I wanted to smile, knowing that I could still make people fear me after everything that happened since my dad's murder. But I stayed still, giving her the same look.

"You're talking to me right now aren't you?" I said, not making anything easy for her. She rolled her eyes.

"Never mind," she sighed and began to walk away.

"Okay okay. Sit down," I groaned and we sat on the table closest to the register. I watched her as she tried to figure out what to say to me. I've never seen the girl so nervous before. To me, she was always confident in herself and always knew what to say. This was rare and a bit weird for me to watch.

"I want to explain what happened on Friday..."

"Oh and what did happen on Friday? Your boyfriend broke your heart so you decided to kiss mine to make yourself feel better?" I said to her angrily. I knew what happened because Freddie told me but that didn't change the fact that I was still upset about what happened. I had to watch my boyfriend kiss his former love interest, then get beat up by my mom right after that. I did want to hear her out and give her a chance but arguing with her was something I couldn't avoid.

"Please don't be mad... okay, I know you're mad at me but please let me explain," she pleaded. I nodded and allowed her to continue. "In the afternoon, Griffin asked me to meet him at his house at a certain time. I was kind of nervous about what he wanted to tell me so I decided to just go to his apartment. When I got there, his door was closed and I heard noises that I didn't want to hear. I ended up opening the door, only to find him on his bed with some girl on top of him..."

Her voice began getting shaky and she was having problems speaking. I awkwardly patted her back, hoping that she wouldn't get hysterical because people were starting to arrive at the Groovy Smoothie and I didn't want them all to look at us like we were crazy people. Tears started rolling down her cheeks and every drop of anger I had towards her evaporated from my body. I could tell she was really hurt and I didn't want to see her like that. I always had a soft spot for Carly. She was the closest thing I had to a girl friend and I didn't want to loose that. Besides, things between me and Freddie were so much better, there was no use in holding a grudge on her.

I allowed her to calm down and recollect herself. She wiped away the tears and continued to speak. "He told me that he met her while back and that they had an instant connection. He said he didn't want to hurt me and he was going to break it off but I came to his house too early."

She had a sad look on her face. She looked hopeless, depressed, like she had no reason to live anymore. There was something about Carly that I always admired. She always looked so full of life and happy. Like there was always something to smile about no matter how tough things got. That shine was completely gone. She looked dull and lifeless. For a second, I could almost see myself in her. I had that same look on my face when my mom would hit me and I had no one but myself. It was all before I met Freddie and he made me see life in a different light. But that still didn't tell me why she kissed Freddie.

"Gee, I'm sorry Carly," I said sympathetically. "But... why did you kiss Freddie?"

She took a deep sigh and turned her head so that she was looking towards a different direction. "This is really embarrassing. When I was crying in front of Bushwell, I felt like the biggest idiot ever. I gave myself completely to this guy, only to have him cheat on me. Freddie found me and he tried to comfort me. He was being really nice and caring like he always is. I felt like I might have made a mistake in rejecting Freddie for so long. Like getting cheated on by Griffin was some sort of Karma that got back to me for not giving Freddie a chance every time he tried to pursue me. I'm not saying I like him, I don't. I love him like a brother but I was so upset at the time that I just tried to save myself from any more pain. I kissed him and believe me Sam, I regret it. When I saw you, you looked so upset, just how I was when I caught Griffin with that girl. I didn't mean to do it. I didn't mean to hurt you and your relationship with Freddie. I really hope you can forgive me."

I looked at her for a moment, completely blown away by her words. _I gave myself completely to this guy. _Those words kept repeating in my head. Did that mean that she had sex with him? I was shocked because Carly always seemed like an innocent girl who would wait until marriage to engage in any kind of sexual activities. I quickly shook the thought out of my head and moved onto something more important. I couldn't stay mad at her for too long. She was hurting and my heart ached for her.

We both stood up and she embraced me in a long hug. She continued to cry as I too felt tears threatening to fall from my eyes. We were both hurting in a way. Her boyfriend cheated on her while my mother would come up with any excuse to beat on me. I didn't have to tell her, she knew I had forgiven her.

* * *

A few days later, it was my afternoon break after a long morning of work. I was walking around the mall, looking for a nice store where I could buy new clothes. I ended up at the Hot Topic and I bought myself a lot of new shirts and two pair of shoes since mine were already torn.

When I walked out of the store, I was surprised when I ran into Carly.

"Hey Sam, I'm so glad I found you," she said with a smile on her face. She grabbed my arm and pretty much dragged me out of the mall. We ended up walking all the way back to her apartment. She didn't tell me why she wanted me in her apartment. When we walked inside, we saw Spencer pacing back and forth as he bit his nails. Next to him was a girl with long brown hair and had a similar style to Carly's.

"Hey," I greeted everyone, giving them a weird look. Spencer walked up to me and gave me a big hug.

"Thank gosh you're here. I need all three of you right now," he said, looking completely desperate.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"You know how he's getting married this summer?" asked Carly. I nodded. I remember when I first met Spencer and we were working on one of his sculptures, he mentioned that he proposed to his girlfriend, Vanessa and she said yes. "Well, he totally forgot that every wedding needs bridesmaids and groomsmen and-"

Spencer completely cut her off. "And we need three bridesmaids. I already have Carly and Wendy. Do you want to be a bridesmaid at my wedding, Sam? Please say yes. Please say yes. Vanessa is so caught up in getting the perfect dress, prefect venue for the reception, and perfect cake. She wanted me to work on everything else," he begged. I couldn't help myself, I laughed uncontrollably at his childlike plead.

"Okay," I smiled and he gave me another big hug.

"Oh. By the way Sam, this is my friend Wendy," said Carly as she pointed towards her friend. She smiled at me and shook my hand.

"Nice to meet you Sam," she said with a big smile on her face. I found myself liking Wendy. She seemed just as sweet and kind as Carly and she didn't come across as some snooty, conceited bitch like most of the girls from Ridgeway are known as.

After meeting Wendy, I turned to face Spencer. "So who are the groomsmen?"

"Ah that one is easy. I'm going to ask Freddie and his friend Shane to be the groomsmen. Gibby too," he smiled.

"Who is Shane?" asked Carly.

"Oh my God you don't know who Shane is?" said Wendy, looking completely shocked. "I thought you knew."

"Apparently I don't. Who is he?" she asked. I was completely clueless since I don't go to Ridgeway, but I paid attention anyways because Spencer said that he's friends with Freddie.

"Shane is in my chemistry class. I don't talk to him much I do know that he is in the AV Club with Freddie. He's really cute," explained Wendy. "I really thought you knew about him since you're close with Freddie."

"Well, it's not like I hang out with him at school enough to know all of his friends. I always see him with Gibby," said Carly. She shrugged it off.

"Okay, I don't know what kind of style you girls are into," said Spencer and shoved a piece of paper and a card into Carly's hand. "Here is a list of things that Vanessa wants in a bridesmaid dress and here is a credit card. Go to the bridal store at the mall and find something. Vanessa isn't really picky about your dresses, she just wants you to find the perfect color or something. Now go find something quickly so I have one less thing to worry about."

We all laughed at how stressed out Spencer was and we walked quickly to the mall. We found the bridal store that Spencer told us about and we walked in. The entire place had hundreds of different dresses. Different lengths, different sizes, different colors, and different styles. I felt a little out of place because although every dress was a different style, they were all still girlie and that's the last thing I am. I was wearing my Groovy Smoothie uniform while Carly and Wendy were in floral skirts and strapped sandals. I knew I was going to have a hard time finding a dress that I would like.

"Okay let's look at Vanessa's list," said Carly and she pulled the paper out of her purse. "It says that the dress has to be light pink, short, ruffled, and with spaghetti straps. The shoes must be black. Yeah that's it. It shouldn't be too hard."

I groaned to myself, wondering why I agreed to this in the first place. I guess being a part of a wedding wouldn't be too bad. And Freddie was going to be a part of it so I wouldn't be completely alone.

I lost count on how many dresses I tried on. Some were a disgusting shade of pink. The kind that looked like a Peptol Bismol bottle. I knew that looking for the perfect bridesmaid dress would take hours so I had to call T-Bo to ask him if I could take the night off. Lucky for me, T-Bo was cool about it. He said that I worked so hard all week and that I deserved a break.

Carly walked up to me and handed me a dress. I rolled my eyes, not really wanting to try on anymore dresses but I tried it on anyways. When I came out of the dressing room, I saw Wendy and Carly waiting for me outside. They were both wearing the same dress so all three of us could decide if we wanted it or not. Both girls gasped.

"I think this is the one," said Wendy.

I looked at myself in the mirror and my eyes bugged out. I couldn't believe what I was looking at. Was I really staring at my own reflection? I was wearing a light pink dress with thin straps. It wasn't tight but it did show off my figure. The bottom had a hint of blue and it was a little ruffled. It was layered with black lace and it stopped a little below my thighs. It was a short dress and it took a while to get used to it but I was still breathless. For the first time in my life, I actually felt beautiful. Though I hated that it was girlie and pink, I knew that this was the perfect dress. I shifted myself so that I was facing the girls and they too looked stunning.

"Wow," I breathed out.

"We look amazing," said Carly in a big girlie squeal.

When we were done with the dresses, we all changed back into our own clothes and began to raid the shoe section. We ended up getting black ankle boots that were covered in black lace. After we paid for everything, Wendy said she had to leave early because she had to go to dinner for her cousin's birthday. That left me and Carly. We were walking around the mall, both of us not saying anything. My mind was focused on Freddie. This whole wedding thing came to me so suddenly but the fact that Freddie would be a part of it made me want to be a part of this more. I really did miss him more than anything...

"You're thinking about Freddie huh?" my thoughts were interrupted by Carly. My head snapped up towards her.

"Um yeah... kind of," I responded. How did she know?

"Can I ask you something?" I nodded. "How much do you like Freddie? Are you in love with him?"

I thought about what Carly asked me for a moment. Her question really hit me in a way I didn't expect them to. Love, it wasn't a word I used a lot. I never cared about anyone to the point where I could love them. The only person I ever loved was my dad because he was the only person in my family who actually cared about me. But I knew what kind of Love Carly meant. I never thought about the word Love when it came to Freddie but now that she brought it up, I began to think about my feelings towards him.

Something about him really caught my attention the day we met. I snapped at him, I was rude to him and he was still there. He was still next to me at the cemetery when I didn't want to talk to anyone. I was a complete stranger to him and he didn't run away from me in fear like everyone else does. Instead he took care of the cuts my abusive mother gave me and he shared his fat cakes with me. He was the one that treated me to Starbucks and a smoothie. He gave me the bracelet that I wear everyday as well as a laptop with recording software installed in it. He did so much for me.

Then I tried to picture my life without him. Just the thought of it broke my heart. My life would be nothing without him, he changed me for the better. If it wasn't for Freddie, I'd still be tripping kids during lunch, I'd still be stealing money from Gibby, I would have straight F's in my report card, and I wouldn't have a job at the Groovy Smoothie. I gulped at the thought I could possibly be dead if Freddie wasn't in my life. He's the only good thing in my life worth living for. Without him, I'd be stuck at home, getting beat up by my mom. If I didn't have him with me, I would have killed myself because of how bad my mom treated me.

I was convinced that yes, I was falling in love with Freddie Benson.

"I think I am," I responded to Carly after a moment of thinking.

She smiled. "How do you feel when you think of him?"

I hesitated for a moment just because it was still hard for me to open up about my feelings. I've only opened up to Freddie but I decided that Carly was a good friend so I answered her honestly. "I can't explain it. We've been dating for two months but I still get this weird feeling in my stomach when I think about him and my heart beats to loud, I swear I feel like everyone could hear it..."

"Oh you're in love with him. I know because that's how I felt about Griffin. The only difference is that Griffin didn't love me. He cheated on me after everything I did for him. I even gave him my virginity..."

"I'm sorry about that Carly."

"It's okay," she shrugged her shoulders. "I was really upset about it but I guess all I can do now if learn from it and move on. Maybe next time, I'll meet someone special that will respect me and I will be more careful."

When Carly said that she lost her virginity to Griffin, I couldn't help but think if me and Freddie would ever be in that same position. Sex wasn't something I normally thought about. Not even in the moments when me and Freddie would make out. Just having him around, his hands holding my waist and my head against his chest was more than enough for me. I wondered if he loved me too, enough to want to do something with me.

"Ya know... I've never had sex with Freddie," I admitted to her. She didn't seem too shocked, maybe because she knew Freddie longer than I have.

"Really? Well, I'm not that surprised. Freddie is such a gentleman. But you guys seem pretty serious to me. In case anything happens, you should be prepared. If you want, I could take you to the clinic to get birth control pills and some condoms. It's better to be safe than sorry. I wouldn't want you to get pregnant, if anything happens between you and Freddie," she said in a caring tone. The feeling of having Carly care for me like that was foreign to me but it was comforting as well. She was doing more for me in less than twenty four hours than my mother ever did in my lifetime.

"Thanks. But... how do you know when you're ready?" I asked. I already opened up to her a bit, I might as well open up completely to her.

"I don't think you really know when the right time is. When you're ready, it will happen and it will be beautiful. At least that's what I thought when I did it with Griffin. I thought it was the most amazing moment in my life while he probably thought it was a drag for him because he fell for someone else. Right now, I'm really confused about the whole making love thing because I thought Griffin loved me," she lowered her head down in shame.

"It's okay. You'll find someone," I said as I patted her in the back.

We arrived back to Bushwell Plaza to leave our dresses and shoes in her room. I didn't want to leave my stuff in my house because I knew that something unexpected might happen and she could rip my dress to shreds. After we left the building, Carly took me to a small clinic a few blocks away. She said that she went to that same clinic as soon as she felt her relationship with Griffin become more serious.

We left the clinic with a bag full of birth control pills and condoms. I was nervous as I thought about my relationship with Freddie reaching a higher and physical level. I've never had sex before so I was scared of what my first time would be like.

Carly was being a great friend to me throughout the entire week. When I wasn't working, I hung out at her apartment, helping Spencer with his wedding. We ended up helping him make the centerpieces for the tables. He didn't want to spend a lot of money buying fancy centerpieces so he spent a little bit of money on supplies and they turned out to be pretty cool.

* * *

The week just flew by me and before I knew it, it was Sunday night. On Monday afternoon, Freddie would be back in Seattle. He would be back in my arms and I would tell him that I love him. My heart skipped a beat as I laid in bed, thinking of everything that could possibly happen between me and him.

I had a big smile on my face, knowing that in less than a day, I would have Freddie by my side again.

* * *

**So what did you guys think? The ending could have been better but either way, I actually REALLY like this chapter.**

**The next chapter will probably be one of my favorites. Sam and Freddie will be reunited after a week of being a part. What do YOU think will happen? Will they tell each other about their new found feelings for one another? Will they talk about sex? Or will they spend their afternoon just hanging out like they always do? You'll find out when I update in a few days.**

**So please review and let me know what you thought about this chapter.**

**PS. I would like for you guys to read iJust Don't Know by Tech-Man. It's a Seddie future fic with a CRAZY twist in the end. I'm sure you will love it if you haven't read it yet :)**

**PSS. Any of you guys fans of my story iDavid? iDavid is my very first Seddie fic and I'm working on the sequel. Check out the author's note I posted because it's really important. Please and thank you. :D  
**


	26. Chapter 25: Together Again

Hey all. I apologize for not updating earlier, like I said I was going to, but I just dimply didn't have the inspiration. Plus, I'm working on a one shot. It's about 1/4 done. Should I give you guys a summary of it or would you rather wait until I post it so you can figure out the story yourselves?

Anyways, here's the next chapter. I really hope you like it. This chapter is a huuuge reason why I rated this story a T.

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We were still on the road back to Seattle. I leaned my head against the window and I looked through. There was nothing interesting to look at. Sam was on my mind the entire time. To say that I was nervous is an understatement. I rehearsed in my head a million times what I was planning on saying to her, especially how I was going to say that I love her, but nothing was good enough. I sighed and turned my head when I felt my seat move. Shane sat next to me, his guitar was on his hands. He looked at me as if he knew what was going through my head. I gave him an awkward smile, confirming that yes, I was extremely nervous about everything we talked about before we left Los Angeles.

"Thinking about Sam?" asked Shane as he handed me his guitar.

"Um... yeah," I answered, giving him a weird look before fixing my gaze on his guitar.

"You can practice more if you want. We still have about two hours before we reach Seattle. What do you plan on doing once we're back?"

"I'm not sure," I confessed. I had no idea how exactly I was going to tell Sam that I love her and if it would lead to something more. Everything I had planned in my head would be useless anyways. I would get even more nervous and forget every carefully rehearsed word that I have been repeating to myself for hours. I hoped that if I made a fool out of myself, she would look past it and know what is truly in my heart.

"I know you're nervous now man, everything is going to be perfect in the end. Trust me," he encouraged me and patted my back. We stayed silent for a few minutes as I strummed the guitar the way Shane showed me back in the hotel room. I stopped for a moment to think about everything that could happen and where it could happen. I've only been to Sam's house about four times. She never liked me going in there anyways because of her mom so we would always end up hanging out in my apartment. If I wanted to play the song for her, I'd have to convince her to take me to her house. And I had no idea where things would go from there. Would she say she loves me back? Would things get out of control? And if they did, would it be in her room or mine? A million questions were running through my head, I just couldn't concentrate on the song anymore. I sighed desperately and gave Shane his guitar back.

"I have no idea what's going to happen. I'm freaking out here," I said as calmly as I could knowing that I was freaking out on the inside.

"Dude, don't worry. It's normal to be nervous. Everything will be fine when you see her again," he chuckled and patted my back again for comfort.

"Thanks," I said and smiled gratefully. He patted my back one more time before he went back to his seat and began to play random notes on his guitar. I turned my head back towards the window and I looked through it as we passed by countless houses and buildings.

I grabbed my backpack and pulled out my laptop, pressing the button that turns it on. After a few seconds, my computer was on and I clicked on the folder where I kept all of my pictures of Sam and I looked through every single one of them. There was one that I took of her while she played her guitar for me. I remembered that day perfectly. She asked me to go over to her house because her mom was gone and she was too tired from work to take the bus back to the other side of town. She played songs that she wrote all night that we ended up getting in trouble with my mom because I forgot to call her. It was all worth it in the end.

A few clicks later, I found a picture of me and Sam sitting on Carly's couch. Spencer took this picture while Carly was in the kitchen making her special lemonade. Our foreheads were touching and both of us were laughing like we've never laughed before. We were trying to act like couples in those cheesy romantic chick flicks but we ended up just laughing at how dumb we looked. Her smile is so big in the picture, if that's not true happiness in her smile and in her eyes, then I don't know what is. She has a beautiful smile and my heart ached to have her in my arms again.

Some may say that I'm probably obsessed and that seven days is nothing but to me it is. Sam saved me in many ways. Saved me from depression, saved me from heartache, she showed me that there is someone out there for everyone. She was there just as I was about to give up on everything. I was ready to give up on love because Carly was always so shallow on her choices of guys, she never gave me a chance to show her what's in my heart. Sam gave me that chance. She looked past everything and accepted me as I am. And I will always be thankful for that.

Cheers and whistles interrupted my train of thoughts and I snapped my head up to see what was going on. We were finally in the parking lot of Ridgeway. My heart was pounding do hard, I swear it could have jumped out of my chest and bounce off the walls like some crazy rubber ball. My eyes looked around the parking lot but I couldn't find Sam. Where was she?

We quickly walked out of the bus and as I hopped off the last step, a flash a sadness went through me because I couldn't find her. Maybe it was insecurity but I was afraid that she might have forgotten me throughout the entire week. I looked around one more time and I felt my sadness dissolve quickly. How could I forget how my own mother's car looks like? I watched Sam and my mom exit her car and walk towards me slowly. I love my mom more than anything but all I wanted at that moment was to run to Sam with open arms and embrace her in the tightest, bone crushing hug I could ever give her. We were almost in front of each other and I could see her eyes getting glossier, her smile becoming wider, and her legs walking faster. I was so close to having her with me again...

"Freddie!" screamed my mom as she ran past Sam and suffocated me with one of her hugs. My mom hasn't been this crazy in a while so I was really surprised. But I had to put myself in her shoes. If I had a son or daughter and I spent over a week without seeing them, I would have hugged them tight as well. I groaned as I felt my back make a cracking noise but that didn't stop my mom, she still had her arms locked around my shoulders. After a few minutes, she finally let go of me and wiped away the tears in her eyes. I didn't even know she was crying.

"Aw don't cry mom! I'm back and that's all that matters," I assured her. She regained her composure and gave me another hug, only that this one was a lot quicker.

"I just missed you is all," she said, wiping away the last tear that came out of her eyes. My eyes focused on Sam and my mom noticed. "I'll go wait in the car."

We both watched my mom until she was finally inside the car and I grabbed Sam's hand, dragging her a few cars away from my mom's so she wouldn't see us. Having to kiss Sam around my mom is awkward, even if she was in her car because there are mirrors inside. Once we were out of her sight, I wrapped my arms tightly around her waist and pulled as close to my body as possible. Her hands laid flat on my chest and I captured her lips with mine. I put everything into that kiss. My love, my passion, and everything I feel for Sam into those few seconds in which our lips were connected. It was a short kiss and it wasn't heated but we could both feel the passion. I didn't want to go further because my mom was waiting and A LOT of people from my school were around us. I pulled back and I leaned my forehead against hers, my eyes were still closed.

"I missed you," I whispered to her and my eyelids slowly rose so our eyes could meet. I felt chills go up and down my body the second I looked into those gorgeous blue eyes of hers. She kissed my lips lightly before speaking to me.

"I missed you too." She slid her arms up and curled them around my neck and she laid her head on my shoulder. We hugged each other for a few minutes without saying a word to each other. There really wasn't a reason for both of us to speak at that moment. I finally had her in my arms again and I wanted to savor every single second of it.

When we let go of each other, I grabbed her hand and we walked back to my mom's car. I noticed that a couple of my classmates were looking at me and whispering as I walked hand in hand with Sam. It must have been weird for them to see me with a girl, knowing that I never attracted a single female at my school and I was known as the worlds biggest nerd. I smiled to myself, not caring what anybody had to say about me. Sam is all I have, all I need.

* * *

The three of us arrived at my apartment and placed my bags on the couch. My mom gave me a glare for a moment because she hates it when I leave my stuff laying around the house. She likes keeping the house extra clean but she let it go this time cause she understood that I was tired and all I wanted to do was just relax at home with her and Sam. My mom told us to wait on the kitchen table as she prepared our plates. She came back with two plates of lasagna with salad on the side. She knew that her lasagna is my favorite. My mouth watered just looking at it. It felt like so long since I had some of her lasagna because she tried to keep me healthier by cutting off her best dishes. My mom placed her plate on the table and the three of us began to eat quietly for a few minutes.

"So how was your trip?" My mom broke the silence. I took a sip of my juice before answering her.

"It was great. I built a computer with my own two hands. It was such a great feeling. I'm positive that building computers is what I want to do with my life," I said to her proudly, with a big smile on my face.

"That's good honey. I'm very proud of you but I'm also really happy to have you home as well," she said happily.

"Believe me, I missed everyone," I said, looking at Sam as I told them that I missed them because she is the one that I missed the most. She gave me a small smile and continued to eat her meal.

"What about you Sam? What do you plan on studying after high school?" said my mom, giving Sam her complete attention. Sam seemed a bit uneasy about the subject at first but she answered quickly.

"Um, possibly education," she said and stuffed a big piece of lasagna into her mouth. She seemed like she was having problems with the whole what to do after high school thing. I partly blamed myself because I told her that I might go to school in California. Maybe she didn't want me to leave or maybe she wanted to tag along.

"Hm, really? That's impressive. What do you plan on teaching English? History?"

"Actually I-"

"Actually mom, I am stuffed," I interrupted and I patted my stomach. "I think I'm going to unpack my stuff. You wanna help me Sam?"

She looked at me as if she was stunned but she also gave me a small smile, silently thanking me for ending the subject. I returned the smile, knowing that this subject was touchy for her but I made a mental note that we have to talk about this later on.

"Yeah," she said and I grabbed my stuff from the couch before walking into my room. I placed all of my stuff on the floor before I closed and locked the door.

"Finally, we're alone," I said to her softly and I grabbed her wrists and gently pulled her closer to me. "You have no idea how much I missed you..."

"Well, at least you're back now," she said as she laid her head against my chest. I slowly lead her towards me bed so both of us could lay down. I couldn't deny how tired I was since I didn't get any sleep at all throughout the entire bus ride back to Seattle. I laid down first and pulled her next to me, her head resting on my chest again and my hands wrapped around her.

"Sorry I didn't call you much throughout the week. I know you were tired from work. How did your week go? How was school today?" I asked her. My fingers traveled up to her face and stroked her cheek lovingly. She closed her eyes for a moment and reopened them to look at me.

"I'm sorry I didn't call you either. You were probably tired as well. School was boring as always but last week was good. I hung out with Carly a lot. We're both going to be bridesmaids at Spencer's wedding," she said. I completely forgot about what happened with Carly before I left. The last time I spoke to her was when I yelled at her for kissing me the day before I left. I haven't seen her since. Guilt suddenly took over me for yelling at her, I knew that I had to talk to her about it.

"So you're good with Carly now?" She nodded. "Then I guess I'll have to talk to her too... but not now. Maybe tomorrow at school or something."

"You know, Spencer wants you and Gibby to be the groomsmen," she said, changing the subject a bit.

"Really? Well, if you're going to be a part of this wedding, then I am too," I smiled at her. "What else did you do last week?"

"Well, Carly and I went to see The Last Song at the movies. It was really good," she said, but with a frown on her face. I was a bit stunned because she's not the kind of girl who enjoys chick flicks. She always makes fun of them when we hang out.

"I thought you didn't like those kinds of movies," I looked at her curiously. She moved herself so that she was closer to me and I tightened my arms around her, not wanting to ever let go of her.

"It's more than just a romantic movie. The main character, Ronnie, is forced to spend the summer with her dad only that she hated him because he divorced her mom. She completely shut him out of her life but as time went by, they became closer. Later on, she discovered that he had cancer and that the reason he divorced her mom was because he was having an affair. She was so heartbroken because she didn't spend enough time with him and he was quickly dying. in the end, he passed away...," her voice was cracking a little bit.

"The movie kind of reminded me of my dad you know? I lost him so suddenly...," she closed her eyes shut, I knew she was trying to fight the tears from coming out and I too felt like crying. But I didn't cry. I held her tighter and closer to me, reassuring her that I too felt her pain but that we could get through it together. Reassuring her that I will always be there for her and nothing was going to tear us apart.

"Shh," I said quietly, trying to calm her down. "You have me now, Sam. I'm always going to be there for you."

She opened her eyes and I looked into them. Those amazing blue eyes that I always got lost into. Her eyes were glossy but they also showed me a sign of gratitude. I leaned up and pressed her lips onto mine. I responded quickly and when we pulled away, she placed her head on my chest again. Sleep was finally catching up to me and both of us fell asleep in each others' arms.

* * *

I woke up about an hour later and I suddenly remembered that I wanted the song that Sam wrote on her guitar. I grabbed her shoulders and I gently shook her awake. She groaned.

"Sam? Wake up. I need to ask you something," I whispered so that I wouldn't irritate her. She opened her eyes slowly.

"What's up?" her voice was groggy.

"Do you think your mom is home right now?"

"Um no." She took her phone out of her pocket to check the time. "It's seven. She's probably out. Why?"

"I want to show you something. Could we go to your house?"

"Sure, I guess." We walked out of room to find my mom on the couch, watching her favorite soap opera. Her eyes were watery and I wanted to laugh. She was just too into those shows. But I love her either way.

"Mom, I'm going to help Sam with some homework. She left her textbooks at her house so I'm going to tutor her there," I lied quickly.

"Okay sweetie," she said, not paying attention to me at all. She must have been really into that show. But it was perfect.

Sam and I arrived at her house fifteen minutes later. She turned on the lights and looked around to make her that her mom wasn't around. Lucky for us, she was out. The entire house smelled of alcohol. It was pretty strong but Sam grabbed an air freshener and quickly sprayed the entire living room. When she was done, I took her hand and led her up to her room. I closed the door and as she sat on her bed, I grabbed her guitar case and opened it carefully.

"What are you doing?"

"Trust me, I'm not doing anything bad. I just want you to sing along," I said to her softly and gently kissed her lips before I began to play the guitar. The familiar tune of the song she wrote for me all those months ago must have hit her like a wave of bricks. Awe was written all over her face and I could see her eyes beginning to water. She gave me a grateful smile and began to sing.

As I played her guitar, I watched her sign her heart out. The way she closed her eyes while she sang, and lost herself completely in the song was so beautiful to me. I could tell that singing is a passion hers. Her voice is so beautiful, so powerful, and so raw. It sent chills throughout my body and every time I'd hear her sing, I realize more and more that this is the girl for me. That she's the one I'm in love with and that I cannot see myself with another girl. Ever.

When we were both done, her eyes remained closed. When she finally opened them, her eyes were as watery as I've ever seen them. Even though I knew that tears were threatening to fall from her eyes, I knew that her eyes sparkled in love and happiness. Finally, tears started to fall from her eyes and down her cheeks. I carefully placed the guitar back down into the case and with both of my hands, I slowly wiped away the tears from her eyes.

"You did this for me?" she asked quietly, the tears were still streaming down her face.

"I wanted to do something special for you," I confessed. My heart began to pound, knowing that I was about say something very important to her. Probably the most important thing I could every say a girl.

"I wanted to show you how much... how much I love you, Sam." I finally said it. Those three words that pretty much summed up everything that I feel for this woman. The three words that explained how much she means to me and that I want to spend forever with her by my side. My heart was beating so fast that I felt as if it would just run out of battery and stop at any moment. The butterflies in my stomach were as vicious that even I was surprised. I waited for her respond. Those must have been the longest four seconds of my life. For just a half a second, I thought that she would back away and tell me that she didn't feel as strongly about me as I do about her. But she finally opened her mouth to say something.

"I love you, Freddie," she said, in a shaky whisper. Those three words that I've waited all week for her to say to me finally came out of her beautiful lips. It was the most beautiful thing she could have ever said to me. Every thing that we have gone through together lead up to this moment. She feels the same way as me. She loves me just as much as I love her. I felt my eyes water when she said those words to me. My entire life, I thought that no one would ever love me. Girls wouldn't give me the time of day but there I was, showing the woman I love just how much she means to me only to have her say that she loves me back.

I couldn't take it anymore, I had to kiss her. I quickly pressed my lips against hers. It started off as a sweet, soft, and delicate kiss. Her lips were slowly moving against mine, savoring every moment. I placed my hands on her hips and I moved myself closer to her. Her hands went behind my neck and she slowly lead me to lay down on the bed. She laid on her back and I positioned myself on top of her. We have never been in a situation where I was on top of hers, except for the day of our first date only that she was the one on top of me.

Our innocent kiss became more passionate, as my lips slowly opened and our tongues met. Every doubt that was clouding my mind, they were all soon forgotten and all of my focus was on kissing Sam. I heard her moan softly into the kiss and knew that she enjoying this as much as I was. I pulled away, suddenly feeling a desperate need for air. My lips went from her cheek to her neck and I kissed it softly and gently. She was breathing deep breaths as her hands slid up and down my back. The subject of sex came into my mind and everything that Shane told me when we were on our trip. I didn't want to force her to do anything. I wanted to be sure that we were on the same page as far as intimacy goes. I pulled away from her and sat up on my knees, pulling her along with me. I held her face in my hands and I looked deeply into her eyes, not trusting myself if things got any further.

"Sam," I said faintly. Our little make out left me breathless. "I don't want to do anything you're not ready for. I want us to come to an agreement before we do anything that both of us could regret later."

She moved so that her lips were on my cheek and then moved them up to my ear. She whispered to me softly in between breaths. "I love you... and... there's nothing I'd rather be doing..."

She pulled away from my ear and kissed my lips softly. My hands went back to her hips and slowly slid up to her sides. Our lips separated for a quick second as I lifted her shirt up, leaving her with her black under shirt on. We resumed our kissing as she quickly unbuttoned every single button of my blue plaid shirt, leaving me completely shirtless. I was feeling insecure for a moment, knowing that I'm not like the guys with the body that most girls go for. The insecurity quickly disappeared because she took a quick look at me and showed me that she didn't seem to care.

I embraced her in my arms, wanting nothing more than to just have her close to me. Her fingers trailed down my back, goosebumps forming on my skin. My lips kissed her shoulder softly, and I could hear her shuddering with every kiss I gave her. She led me back onto the bed and I was on top of her again. Before we went any further, I pulled away to look at her, to tell that what we were about to do is more than just sex. I trust and love her with every inch of my heart...

"I love you," I whispered and I lowered my head back down to meet her lips with mine again.

* * *

Okay there you have it. This chapter was very awkward for me to write because it was the first time I ever wrote something that lead to my characters making love... and... stuff lol. I really hope you liked it though. I think it is just absolutely cute how much these two care for each other in my story.

I do want to give a bit of my personal opinions on the whole premarital sex thing, since Sam and Freddie are seventeen in my story. A part of me does believe that people should wait until marriage to do any kind of sexual activity. But another part of me thinks that you don't really need a ring to engage in these kinds of things. If two people love, trust, and care about each other enough to take that big step, then they should go for it. After all, it's their lives and they should do what they want as long as it makes them happy. I do believe, however, that couples should stay safe and protected if they are going to become active whether it's before or after marriage.

Oki doki that's it for now. This chapter is really important to me so please, if you're reading this, I'd really like to know what you think of this chapter. The next one is going to be in Sam's perspective, obviously. I just don't know what to do with it. I'll think of something. Lol.

I hope everyone had an amazing 4th of July here in the US. Until next time my lovely readers. :)

PS. Let me know if you still want that summary of the one shot I'm working on. I'll reply to your review and send it to you there. :)

PSS. There is this song I just can't get out of my head. It's called "Amy" by Allstar Weekend. Check it out hahaha.


	27. Chapter 26: Talking

**Hey yo! Ahhh, there is so much I want to say to you all but I don't want to ramble and bore you guys. So I'll try to keep this as short as I can.**

**I love love LOVE the feedback I got on the last chapter. Really, it means a lot to me. I remember coming back to ffnet, after lord know how many years, not knowing how people were going to react to my work. BUT you guys have definitely made me want to write more with every story I've written. **

**The last chapter was probably the most important chapter to me. Seriously, I've had that chapter lingering somewhere in my head for MONTHS while I came up with the idea for this story and I'm so happy that I finally got to use it. I'm overwhelmed at how far I've gotten with this story and it's no where near done yet. Since the last chapter means so much to me, I decided to do a little shoutout to everyone who reviewed it. I don't do this often but you guys are amazing and I'm really grateful for your opinions on my story. **

**JunoLuv, passion pit, frontman19, Kpfan72491, CouldIBeMoreRandom, baronvonmilo, X-Star-Girl-26-X, randomqueen95, JustCallMeMrsMalfoy, EccentricSuperchick, Jakeo, and clawx2.**

**Again, thank you so much.**

**Enjoy this chapter. :) **

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The sound of something vibrating on the floor woke me up. My eyelids slowly rose and I lifted my hands up to my face so I could rub the sleep from my eyes. My room was dark and the only thing illuminating it was the dull light of the lamp on my nightstand. I could barely make out my surroundings since the light wasn't bright enough. I decided to adjust myself and sit up so I could see where the vibrating noise was coming from but I immediately regretted when I felt an indescribable pain all over me. My body was so sore, it hurt to move. That's when I looked to the other side of my bed and I saw a sleeping Freddie laying next to me, my covers only covering him up to his chest so I could see his bare shoulders.

I gently laid back down next to Freddie so I could face him. He looks so peaceful when he sleeps. My complete attention was focused on him, that I totally forgot why I woke up in the first place. I couldn't stop looking at him with a small smile on my face, thinking about what we did before I woke up. I felt a strange feeling in my heart thinking about it, knowing that I've never felt such happiness before in my life. Words can't describe everything that was going through my mind the moment that Freddie stepped out of that bus.

My heart and my mind were both racing as Freddie and I got closer when we went to pick him up. I felt my knees go weak when he finally kissed after being away from each other for a whole week. I have never felt so relieved to see someone like I was when I saw him again. I didn't realize how much I actually missed him until he pulled me into his arms and bent down to kiss my lips. It was just like most of our kisses, innocent and sweet but it felt me breathless and paralyzed. All I could do right after was hold him without saying anything. I just wanted to hug him right there on the parking lot for hours and hours, making up for the seconds, hours, and days that we spent being apart.

After we had lunch with Mrs. Benson, Freddie took me to his room. He didn't unpack his things, like he told his mom that he would. Instead, we cuddled in his bed and we talked about how our weeks went. I told him about how upset I was after going to the movies with Carly but he made it the situation better, saying that he'll always be there for me. God, I don't know what I would do if I didn't have him with me by my side. We ended up falling asleep on his bed. I sighed, feeling nothing but pure joy.

When we woke up, we went back to my house. I was a bit hesitant about why he wanted to go to my house but knowing what time it was, I knew that my mom was out doing her filthy job so it wouldn't be too bad to have Freddie in my house. The both of us ended up in my room and he picked up my guitar. I gave him a confused look as I wondered what he was going to do with it but every concern faded away when I heard him play the song that I wrote for him months ago. I was at a loss of words that he would do something like that for me, let alone something that means so much to me. I sang my heart out while he played my guitar. It was one of the greatest feelings in the world, to share something I'm passionate about with the one I love...

Speaking of love, nothing felt more amazing than hearing him say that the reason he learned to play my song on the guitar was because he loves me. I was planning on telling him, showing him that I love him but he beat me to it. I planned it all, not knowing if he was going to feel the same way or if he was going to say them back but he said them first. My heart pounded against my chest the second those three words came out of his mouth. I told him I love him back and we sealed it. He kissed me and it was nothing like our usual kisses. We put everything into that kiss...

My hand reached up to stroke his cheek as he continued to sleep peacefully. Memories of our night together were still fresh on my mind. After that kiss, we did what Carly and I talked about while he was gone. It was nothing like I imagined it to be. Despite the physical pain in put me through, everything about it was perfect. It wasn't a lustful night, we both know it in our hearts that what we felt through it all was nothing but love.

My fingers must have tickled him because he was quietly giggling in his sleep with every stroke. I laughed to myself, loving the sound of his giggles. He ended up opening his eyes slowly. Beautiful is a word I absolutely HATE to use as a way to describe a male but that's what Freddie looked like to me when he opened his eyes. He looked breathtakingly beautiful to me. His lips curved into a smile once his eyes were open as I felt his bare arms wrap themselves around my bare waist. I shuddered at the skin on skin contact, seeing as this was my first time being intimate with a guy. It's something that I'd have to get used to later on. I felt his lips make contact with my forehead and I closed my eyes in pure bliss.

"Hey," he whispered against my forehead. I pulled back a bit so that I was looking at him.

"Hi," I whispered back, not really knowing what to say. Actually, there was a lot to say, I just didn't know where to begin.

"What time is it?" he asked as he rubbed one of his eyes. He stretched himself backwards as if he was reaching for something on the floor. He came back with his phone on his hand. So his phone was making the vibrating noises that woke me up.

"Oh shoot," he said as he sat up quickly. I sat up slowly as well, using my sheet to cover my chest area.

"What is it?"

"It's midnight. My mom is going to be so mad because I didn't call her," he said worriedly. I watched him as he clicked a few keys on his phone and then pressed it against his ear. About a minute later, he put his phone down next to my lamp on the nightstand and laid back down on the bed. I followed him and laid my head on his shoulder.

"My mom is working tonight. She left me a voice mail saying that she probably won't be back till two in the morning," he sighed in relief. I was relieved as well, I didn't want our perfect night to be ruined by having Mrs. Benson worry too much about Freddie.

"That's good," I said.

"Yeah, in a way. I just hope she doesn't come into my room when she gets home. Ugh, I didn't think about that when I heard her message," he explained as he sat back up. I decided to sit back up too. I sighed, knowing that I had to drop him off before he got into any trouble.

"So do you want me to drop you off before your mom gets home? She doesn't get home till two right? That's in like... an hour and thirty minutes," I said, looking at him sadly. I really didn't want him to leave. I wanted him to stay with me all night. Not in a sexual way, just sleeping in the same bed, feeling secure with him. Sleeping in this house all by myself every night brings me the loneliest feeling. I turned my head so that I wasn't looking at him and I lowered it. Suddenly, I felt is chin on my shoulder and I turned my head a little so I was looking at him from the corner of my eyes. He kissed my bare shoulder lightly and a smile formed on my face.

"At what time does your mom get home?" Asked Freddie.

"I have no idea. I'm usually asleep by the time she gets home. If you want, I can drop you off and if my mom is home before me, I'll sneak through the back," I suggested so that he could get home on time. The last thing I wanted was for Freddie to get in trouble.

"I'll wait an hour," he said, kissing my shoulder again. I laughed a little and returned the favor by kissing him on the cheek before taking my hand and pushing his face away from me playfully so that he wasn't looking at me.

"I'm going to put some clothes on," I said. Just because we made love earlier, didn't mean that I wanted to walk around naked and have him staring at me. Once I was sure he wasn't looking, I stood up, ignoring the pain in my body, and I grabbed my pajamas. I walked back to my bed and I noticed that Freddie was fully clothed too. We both sat back on the bed and stayed quiet for a few minutes. I honestly didn't know what to say since this was my first time with a guy. I didn't know whether to tell him that I had a great time or ask him what he thought of me. It all seemed so foolish to think about but it was all over my head.

"What's wrong?" I snapped my head towards him direction.

"Nothing," I assured him. Really, nothing was wrong but I had a lot on my mind.

"I love you Sam," he said as he moved closer to me. I felt his hands give my shoulders a light squeeze before resting his chin on one of them again. "I always will."

"I love you," I whispered. I felt chills all over my body when he said those three words to me. Every time he said them to me, I got the chills and I could feel my heart beginning to pound hard against my chest. Those words will never get old and I will never get tired of hearing them. The happiness in my heart was a very strange feeling. It's something that I was never used to. The only person that showed care for me is my dad but that's just a father and daughter kind of love. No one has shown to me what true love is really like.

"You know, I've never... uh, done something like that with anyone," he said out of the blue. I smiled at his confession and thought about how, dare I say, cute he was being. I could tell he was feeling insecure but I couldn't blame him. I was nothing but a ball of insecurities as well.

"Me neither," I confessed to him too. There really wasn't a reason to confess these things to each other. We both know we were inexperienced. Hell, we were each others first kisses.

"What did you think?" He asked? I gave him a bit of a confused look because, well, I was confused by his question. He noticed so he decided to correct himself. "I mean, did you enjoy it? God, I feel so stupid asking you this."

"Don't!" I said and assured him that I didn't regret what we did and that it was the most incredible night I've ever had. "It was amazing."

"Really? Most girls wouldn't give me the time of day and you know, I'm not buff or anything," he said shamefully. I turned around and I quickly pulled him into a tight hug, hoping that it could help somehow understand. I didn't want him to be insecure, like he was when we went on our first date. It kind of killed me that he was speaking so negative of himself. Sure, he doesn't have a Taylor Lautner body but image isn't everything. He could he the most beautifully built man on Earth but if he had a horrible personality and treated me like I was some piece of shit, THEN I wouldn't give him the time of day. But Freddie is different. He loves me, respects me, and has been there for me when I was hurt the most. He's perfect in every way possible. Besides, I saw him topless and he wasn't horrible looking. I love all of him as he is. When I let go of him, I held his face in my hands and I looked straight into his eyes.

"I don't care about that. I had an incredible night with you that I will never regret. Your body is fine, believe me. And even if you think that it's not fine, it doesn't change what I feel about you. Besides, let's not forget about how much I love your brown eyes," I said to him, smiling the whole time. Everything I said to him is true. But a big part of me felt like a total hypocrite. There I was, telling him that he shouldn't feel insecure when I was feeling **so** insecure about myself as well.

"I have to be honest with you though," I continued. "I never understood what you see in me either. I mean, I'm not girlie. I don't wear pink or short skirts. I'm not the nicest person either. Well, I'm nice to you and stuff but still. I've always been a bitch."

"Sam, that's ridiculous. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever met. Your hair is so long and soft. Not to mention, those blue eyes of yours...," he stated. I felt the heat rise quickly onto my cheeks as he showered me with compliments. I could never get used to it. But it clicked to me that we were both insecure and that it didn't matter in the end. We love each other and I felt myself becoming slightly more confident with every compliment he gave me.

"Okay okay. So we were both a little unsure of ourselves. It doesn't change anything though," I assured him and pecked his lips a couple of times.

"True. I'm glad you're not like the rest of them. Thanks for giving me a chance." The way he said that, curse the sensitive girl inside of me, I wanted to cry at the sincerity in his voice. He was really heartbroken before we met, especially because Carly would constantly tell him that they could never be an item. And because girls wouldn't looked at him as boyfriend material. Well, they are all pretty stupid to looks past such a great guy and it's their loss too.

"No... thanks for giving ME a chance," I responded. He looked past every negative thing about me. He looked past the fact that I was bullying his best friend, that I snapped and yelled at him when we first met, and so much more. Ever since I was a child, people would assume I am a certain way because I'm not afraid to stand up for myself. He didn't run away when I snapped at him. He stayed and took care of me when I needed to get taken care of the most.

"I don't think I've ever told you this. Well, maybe not directly but, you really make me so happy," I continued but I paused for a moment, trying to find the right words words to say to him. I was never this open with anyone. I was always so closed, not caring what anyone thinks of me. With Freddie, it's different. I can be myself and talk about my feelings.

"You're like my hero. You were there when I had no one and I was so close to giving up on everything because I couldn't stand living with my crazy, alcoholic mom. I couldn't stand having just my mom in my life, hurting me and blaming me for my dad's death. In a way, you kept me alive Freddie."

As soon as I was done speaking, not even two seconds after I spoke, I felt his lips on mine. I didn't want to cry but being with Freddie, I could cry and entire ocean and he wouldn't judge me. I closed my eyes as a tear slid down my cheek. It wasn't a sad cry, it was all happiness because it's always hard to believe that I finally found that someone that I want to be with for the rest of my life. I finally found someone that brings me nothing but joy to my heart. I felt nothing but lucky.

"I love you, Sam. So, so, so much," he whispered when he pulled his lips slightly away from mine so that they were still touching.

Every time I found myself wanting to stay with him, in his arms, for as long as we possibly could, something would always stop us from doing so. When I opened my eyes, I noticed that it was time for me to drop off Freddie so he wouldn't get in trouble with his mom. There was nothing I wanted at that moment than to just lay in bed with him all night and not have to worry about anyone but the two of us. No crazy mothers to worry about, no school, no jobs, no AV club. Nothing. Just us.

"It's getting late," I whispered back and I heard him grunt in annoyance. I knew he wanted to stay with me just as much as I wanted to stay with him but we just couldn't. A lot could happen if our mothers found out that we spent the night together. His mom would probably freak out and lecture us for hours, even though we were safe and my mom would go around contradicting herself and call me a whore. Even worse, my mom would probably beat me up in front of Freddie and I just can't allow that to happen, even if it did happen before.

We walked down the stairs and I grabbed my car keys before heading out the door. I looked around, not seeing any cars coming towards the house. Good, that meant that my mom was still "working." I didn't want her to see me out if she was on her way home. Both of us sat in the car and I turned it on. We were both quiet when I began to drive. Despite the fact that I spent a good night with Freddie, I still had other stuff on my mind. Things that were kind of discussed back at his house. Everything changed once we both made love to each other. I didn't want him to leave to California for college but who am I to stop him from pursuing his career? I didn't want him to go but after the night we spent together, I was more than positive that I didn't want him to leave.

"Is something bothering you?" asked Freddie. I took a quick glance at him and his eyes were full of concern.

"Nothing really. I was just thinking about what your mom asked me during lunch," I decided to take the honest road since I was already so open to him to being with and I was the one who brought the subject up in the first place a few weeks ago.

"Oh... you mean about what we're going to do after high school?"

"Yeah. I mean, if you go to California, you're going to miss me right?" I asked him. I didn't want to ask him about what he wanted _US_ to do together. I didn't want him to think that I wanted to just follow him out there. I wanted to know what he wanted to do for himself.

"Are you serious Sam? If I go to school in California, I'm bringing you with me. You're the best thing in my life and I'm not letting that go so easily," he said in a very serious tone. He sounded so possessive and it was strange for me to hear him talk like that. But I really liked that he was determined to make it work between us after we get our diplomas.

"Really?"

"Of course. Did you seriously think I would just leave you behind after graduation?"

"I'm just being stupid," I answered him, wanting to end the subject. I guess it was really silly of me to have any kind of doubts and confusions as to whether or not we would stay together or go our separate ways once school is over.

"Whatever happens, Sam, I'm not leaving you behind." I smiled to myself as I felt his hand reach for mine. He lifted it from the steering wheel and laced our fingers together. I felt chills go all over my body from just the simple feel of his hand on mine and I felt the butterflies in my stomach going wild in the pit of my stomach. I decided to stop being so scared of being away from Freddie. He said it himself that we're not going to split into different directions.

"I'm not leaving you behind either," I assured him as I pulled over to the curb right in front of his building. We were finally at our destination and I didn't want him to leave. I gently squeezed his hand, letting him know that I was going to miss having him around, even if we did spent an entire afternoon and night together. But after being away from each other for an entire week, all I wanted to do was to be with him every day.

"Do you work tomorrow... er I mean, today?"

"Ugh... yeah. I really don't want to but I have to because I took Monday off to hang out with you," I sighed sadly. Going to school and then having to work right afterward limited the time I had to spend with Freddie. Though I always hang out at his house after work, sometimes it's only for an hour or two.

"I'll be hanging out at your work after school okay? Since I missed school yesterday because of the field trip, I have so much work to make up. I'll be doing my homework and I'll be seeing you at the same time," he said with a smirk. I leaned in and kissed that smirk away. I was touched that he was willing to do his homework at The Groovy Smoothie just to see me.

"You're the best. See you there then."

He leaned in and pressed his lips onto mine. He began to move his lips and mine followed his movements. My hand moved from the steering wheel and began to caress his cheek softly. One of his hands was on my hip, rubbing his thumb against it through the fabric of my stripped black and green pajama pants. His other hand was on my knee. Before our kiss became any more heated up, I pulled away. I didn't want things to get carried away. We were in my car, in front of his building, and it was almost two in the morning. If we are to do it again, I want it to be special just like the first. We were both taking deep breaths after that kiss and once his was back to normal, he took my hand and kissed it gently. When he stepped out of the car, he turned to look at me.

"I love you," he said and I repeated the same words to him before he closed the door. I watched him walk into the building and once he was out of my sight, I drove away. The entire ride back home, I thought about everything that happened between us. Everything happened less than twenty four hours ago but it was perfect. I couldn't control the smile on my face. I couldn't believe everything that was happening to me. I wanted to roll down every window of my car and scream at the top of my lungs to the world that I love Freddie Benson.

I arrived back home with a big weight lifted off my shoulders. I was worried that my mom would get home before me and that she would ruin my entire night. I didn't want her to ruin it by attacking me either and having to sleep with anger all over me. Sleep was finally catching up to me and when I walked into my bedroom, the first thing I did was throw myself on my bed. I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow.

That was honestly the best sleep that I have ever gotten.

* * *

**Woo hoo. What a cute chapter. **

**I hope you guys didn't think it was TOO mushy, TOO corny, TOO cheesy, and TOO romantic. BUT, I thought it was appropriate for the two to get all mushy mushy after what they did. And besides, I love couples like that. Kind of like Jamie and Landon from A Walk to Remember, which happens to be my favorite movie lol.**

**I wanted to clear something up, just in case anyone is wondering. I'm not going to write a lot of chapters that will lead to Sam and Freddie having sex in the end. That's not what my story is about. There is still so much that will happen to the two. I will probably write some 'romantic' scenes between them every once in a while but I won't make a habit of it.**

**Anyways, in the next chapter, there will be some Carly and Freddie bonding. They still have to talk about Carly kissing him the day before he left for his trip. OH and Carly and Shane will meet. Hehe. As much as I love Carly and Griffin together, I'm going to try and write about her and Shane together.**

**So please review and let me know what you think. **

**Speaking of reviews, I was checking this story's stats on my account. Check this out. This story has 53 alerts, 59 people have added it to their favorites list, it has 13,474 hits, and it has 286 reviews. Hollly crap. Seriously guys, that is amazing and HUGE accomplishment for me. I don't think I can thank y'all enough for showing this AU story so much support. How awesome would be it if I got to 300 by the next update? Eeep. Anyways, I'm gonna go to bed in a little bit. I hope you guys liked this chapter. :)**


	28. Chapter 27: Plotting

**Hey there. I'm so happy you guys liked the last chapter. I didn't expect you all to like it so much.**

**Anyways, a new twist will be introduced in this chapter. It won't be so huge but it starts from this chapter and it develops onto the next one. Hint hint: It's about Sam's mom. something huge will happen. And another little part of the story will be introduced. Carly and Shane are going to meet. Since this story is only on the point of views of Sam and Freddie, there really won't be too much of them but I still want Carly to have her happy ending so yeah, if you like those two together, you'll enjoy them :)**

**I decided to do a little shoutout section in every single one of my chapters as a thanks for reviewing. So thank you so much to JunoLuv, XxXSeddieFreakXxX, ecg672, NCISMcAbbyISthebest, Seddielovergrl, baronvonmilo, Randomqueen95, passion pit, CouldIBeMoreRandom, coketree20, EccentricSuperchick, axel100, and Kpfan72491. You guys are awesome. **

**Here's the next chapter.**

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I woke up early, feeling really relaxed. I haven't felt that relaxed after waking up in a long time and it felt really good. I remembered that I didn't unpack yesterday when I came back home from my trip so I walked towards my suitcase and I realized that it wasn't there anymore. I opened my drawers and closet and I noticed that all of things were in the right place. One thing that stood out was the pack of condoms that Shane gave me sitting right on top of the tall piece of furniture. I gulped, realizing that my mom decided to be a mom and put my stuff away.

When it comes to the opposite sex, I was always distant towards my mom. Not that I didn't trust her, I just didn't feel comfortable talking to her about girls. The subject only became comfortable when my dad and I talked about it. But I knew that I had to face my mom and tell her about what I did with Sam. I had to reassure her that yes, I did follow her advice and took the safe route by using protection.

Speaking of which, I didn't take those condoms to Sam's place. I didn't really think much about it since we were so caught up in the moment. We didn't use my condoms when we decided to take that big step. So that meant that they were hers and she was preparing herself for that big moment just as much as I was. Or was she thinking about it way before I left for my big trip? I smiled to myself. It felt good to know that Sam was also thinking about it and that I wasn't alone. We really were on the same page.

Sighing deeply, I grabbed my clothes and got ready. When I was in the bathroom, I was staring at my reflection in the mirror as I brushed my teeth. I noticed a a mark on my neck and I immediately stopped what I was doing. There was a big hickey on my neck and I started panicking. I completely forgot that while Sam was in pain, she bit my neck but I didn't think she would leave such a large mark. And I certainly didn't feel any pain while she bit me. How could I not notice it? It was bad enough that my mom found my condoms in my luggage but to walk around with a huge love bite on my neck all day was mortifying. I didn't want my mom to see it and I definitely didn't want anyone at school to see it. And even though Steven and his friends stopped bullying me, they would probably start again, saying that I probably did it to myself with a vacuum cleaner just to make the school laugh. I might have been exaggerating at the moment but I really wanted it to go away. I searched for the liquid foundation that Sam gave me a few months back and I tried to cover it up but it was still noticeable. I sighed desperately, not knowing how I could hide it. I ended up putting a collared shirt on and keeping the collar standing up to cover my neck. Sure, it wasn't exactly helpful but I hoped that it wouldn't draw too much attention

When I was done, I exited my room. The smell of pancakes invaded the entire living room and I realized that I had not eaten since lunch yesterday. My stomach growled louder as I came closet to the kitchen. I helped my mom set up everything before sitting down and eating my meal. I pretty much inhaled my breakfast.

"Slow down, Freddie," commanded my mother. I noticed that she wasn't looking directly at me. Here eyes were fixated on the stack of pancakes and assorted berries surrounding them. If I wasn't mistaken, she was feeling just as awkward as I was about the whole sex thing.

"Sorry mom," I apologized and took a sip of orange juice from the small glass next to my food. The room became quiet, a bit too quiet and it was freaking me out. I didn't know which I feared more, the awkward silence or the fact that me and my mom had to talk about it.

"Mom.. I-" I started, not knowing where to begin the conversation. But I had to start somewhere right? "Look, I know you put my stuff away yesterday..."

She stopped me when she raised her hand up so I would stay quiet. I didn't know if she wanted me to stop because she couldn't handle her son having sex with his girlfriend or if she wanted to recollect herself before she spoke.

"I just want to know one thing Freddie, did you and Sam... uh, have sex last night? Is that why you went to her house?" asked my mom. I could tell it was difficult for her to ask me those questions. But I guess I had to be completely honest with her. It's not like I had a dad around anymore to talk to about these things. Well, I could talk to Spencer because he's like a big brother but I'd rather talk about these things with a parent.

"I wasn't planning on it," I assured her. "It just happened."

I watched my mom as she pushed her plate aside. She completely lost her appetite and I knew that was a big deal to her because my mom never missed breakfast. It's the most important meal of the day. I didn't think she would be that upset about me having sex with Sam. And it was only our first time. I was starting to fear the thought of what she might do once I get married later down the road.

"What exactly happened?"

"MOM!" I almost yelled. Okay, I understood that she wanted to know because I'm her son but asking for details was just crossing the line. I refused to kiss and tell, especially to my mother.

"I'm not asking for details Freddie, if that's what you're thinking but I did give birth to you, I changed your diapers when you were a baby, and I breast fed you. I'd appreciate it if you at least told me how it started. Er, what lead up to you two having sex. I have a right to know."

"Okay," I sighed. "My friend taught me how to play a song on the guitar and Sam is into all of that stuff so I played it for her at her house. She was really happy about it and then I... I told her I love her and she said it back. Everything else, well, it's self explanatory."

I couldn't look her straight in the eye. It was kind of embarrassing to talk to her about this with her. Not that I was embarrassed of Sam. I just couldn't handle talking about that particular subject with my own mother. I heard her sigh and I didn't know if it was because she made the decision to not allow me to see Sam or she was preparing for a long lecture about the dangers of sex. I was hoping for the second choice, even though I learned all about it in health class.

But one thing I couldn't understand is why she seemed so upset about the whole thing to begin with. She was the one who lectured me about staying safe one week after I asked Sam to be my girlfriend. I wasn't even thinking about having sex with her that early in our relationship and she was preaching about how we should be safe just in case we decided to it. It just didn't make sense to me.

"Oh... well, I guess when I told you about safe sex when you started dating Sam, I didn't think you would actually go through with it," she admitted.

"Mom, believe me, I wasn't thinking about it when we first started dating. We've been dating for almost three months and this was our first time. We did it for the right reason too."

"What do you mean?"

"I love her, mom. And she loves me. I didn't want to do anything with her until we were both sure of our feelings for each other. Trust me."

We were both silent for a few seconds. I was waiting for her response. She was probably going to yell at me because I'm too young, even though I'll be eighteen in a few months. I was taken back when I heard her sniffle. She was crying, but why? I didn't think I did anything wrong with expressing my love for Sam on a more physical level but she was sure as heck making me feel guilty.

"Don't cry. Please," I said softly as I stood up and gave her a side hug, rubbing her shoulder to calm her down.

"I'm so proud of you Freddie," she said in between sniffles. Okay, she had me really confused. I thought she was angry at me but instead she was proud? I was so freaking confused.

"What, but why? I don't understand!"

"I know me and Luis raised you well. He would have been so proud of you for being such a gentleman if he was still here," she said as she took a napkin from the center of the table and began to dab in on her eyes so her tears wouldn't smudge her eyeliner. I couldn't help but feel sad for her. I knew she was hurting because of my dad's death but she never really talked to me about it so I figured that she was handling his death a lot better than I was. I guess I was wrong.

"Thanks mom," I said, not wanting to touch the subject of my dad because I didn't want to upset her further. I checked the time on my phone and I realized that I had to leave a few minutes earlier so I could go see Carly at her house.

"I have to go. I'll see you when I get back from studying," I gave her a kiss on the cheek and I grabbed my bag. As soon as I opened the door, my mom scared me out of no where.

"WAIT!" screamed my mom. I literally jumped and almost fell on my behind.

"What?"

"You have a little something on your neck," she said as she reached for a few items from the cabinet and ran to me, closing the door and dragging me towards the couch. When we were both seated, she started doing something weird to my neck that hurt a lot. She was rubbing something that was rough and then tried to soothe it with her hands. Then she started dabbing some of her own make up. We pretty much have the same skin tone. When she was done, she handed me the mirror. I was amazed. The hickey was gone and the teeth marks were barely noticeable. They were still there but were only noticeable when looked at carefully. I looked at her with wide eyes. **(A/N: I have no clue how to cover up a hickey so I just went with whatever my friends told me. Lol)**

"Uh... thanks mom? Where did you learn to do that?" I asked her, feeling completely overwhelmed at the fact that my own mom was helping me cover the love bite that Sam gave me.

"I know I'm protective of you sometimes but that doesn't mean that I wasn't a teenager. Your dad and I used to sneak around before we told our parents that we were dating. They were so strict so one of my friends gave me hickey covering tips. This doesn't mean I want you have hickeys all over your neck okay? And don't even think about trying these tips on yourself because I will notice. I just don't want you to go to school like that."

Who knew that my mom was such a wild child back in her day? It really was a shock to me, to hear her say that she used to sneak with my dad and she had to cover up the evidence. I always pictured my mom as one of those girls who went to school on how to be a proper lady. She always seemed like the kind of person who would preach about staying abstinent until marriage but it was so refreshing to see that she's not completely old fashioned. And I was happy that she didn't yell at me and tell me that was wrong.

"Wow thanks. You're the best," I hugged her and have her a kiss on the cheek.

"I'll see you when I get back from the Groovy Smoothie," I said as I made my way out the door.

* * *

Less than two steps across the hall later, I entered Carly and Spencer's apartment. The door was always unlocked for me in the mornings so I could just walk in and sometimes have breakfast with them before walking to school with Carly. I wanted to knock this time, seeing as Carly and I were still on bad terms but I decided to just walk in and show her that nothing has changed between us. She will always be one of my closest friends and I wanted to remind her that.

Spencer was sitting on the middle of the big couch, watching tv and eating cereal. I almost laughed at the obnoxious slurping noises he was making as he ate his cereal. He loved eating his cereal like that. He said it's fun and that no one likes boring cereal. I loved his child at heart personality. When I closed the door shut, he turned his head and when he looked at me, he did not looked amused. The angry look on his face could scare children enough to have them run four blocks before they could feel safe. Why was he mad me? What did I do? But then I remembered that I yelled at Carly after she kissed me and of course, she told him.

"Um, hi Spencer. Are you mad at me?" I stuttered, feeling slightly intimidated by him, which is something that I thought would never happen. Spencer wouldn't hurt a fly but I guess he would kill for his sister.

"Why are you here?" he asked, not answering my question.

"I need to talk to Carly. I'm guessing she already told you what happened." I looked at him worriedly. I didn't want him to hate me forever. Spencer was the closest thing I had to a big brother and I looked up to him. I really didn't want some misunderstanding between me and Carly ruin our friendship. Carly managed to work it out with Sam and if Sam could put her and Carly's differences aside, then I could too.

"Yes. As a matter of fact, she did. After she got cheated on, you still made her feel bad!" If looks could kill, I would have been dead within half a second he started talking. I've never seen him like that but I had to put myself in his shoes. I wasn't happy either when Carly told me that Griffin cheated on her. I understood him but I still didn't want him to be mad at me.

"You don't understand. I didn't mean to yell at her. She kissed me first knowing that I'm with Sam. And the worst part was that Sam saw it. She thought I cheated. I was just angry. I came to apologize because I shouldn't have yelled at her." I tried way too hard to convince Spencer that I wasn't the bad guy. I didn't even understand why he was so angry once I stopped explaining myself. He was so angry at me, a guy who has a girlfriend, for yelling at Carly. It didn't make any sense to me but with Spencer, he didn't need to make any sense when he got angry.

"Wait, what do you mean Sam saw you? Carly didn't tell me that Sam was there." He stood up, putting his bowl of cereal on the table in front of the couch, and then faced me. I had his full attention. He seemed confused, like something was missing.

"Carly didn't tell you? What exactly did she say?" I asked him, feeling equally confused as he seemed.

"Well, she said that after she caught Griffin, you found her outside while she was crying and you were trying to make her feel better. Then she said that you two kissed and you ended up pushing her aside and yelling at her. She didn't mention Sam."

I couldn't believe this. Why would Carly lie about something so serious? I didn't push her aside. I gently pushed her away from me to stop what she was doing and when I yelled at her, it was only because I was so angry. I felt as if I almost lost the most important thing in my life over something so stupid. I wanted to be angry at Carly for lying but I also knew where she was coming from. She was hurt and she knew she was wrong for kissing me. If she told Spencer that Sam was there and that the fact that Sam caught us was the reason I yelled at her, he would have lectured her about how wrong she was. I guess in the end, she just needed comfort and someone to be there for her.

"Oh... okay. Look, I'm not mad at her. I just need to let her know that whatever happened before I left for my trip doesn't even matter anymore. I don't want to lose a good friend over something that shouldn't have been blown into a big mess in the first place." It really wasn't a big deal anymore. In the end, Sam forgave me after everything that she went through. I almost lost my girlfriend and I sure didn't want to loose a good friend either.

"I know you're a good kid Freddo. That's why I'm not mad anymore," he said as a big smile formed on his face. It was the usual, funny, kind of creepy, but completely genuine one of a kind smile that Spencer always gave everyone. I was happy that he wasn't mad at me anymore. When he was patting my back, Carly walked downstairs. She stopped at the second to last stair when she saw me and Spencer.

There was something different about her. Carly was always high on life and her eyes always sparkled with happiness, but that shine was completely gone. She looked so dull, so weak, and I didn't like it one bit. Where was the Carly that was always positive and always smiling? Stupid Griffin had to cheat on her. I knew he was bad news. I made it a personal goal to bring her out of that upset phase and make her feel better again.

"Carly," I said softly, feeling as if I talked loudly, she would break. She looked THAT sad. "Can we walk to school together?"

"Uh... o-o-okay," she stuttered. She didn't expect me to speak to her again, I could tell. But I had to make it right.

We didn't say anything to each other as we said bye to Spencer, as we walked out of the apartment, as we took the elevator downstairs, and as we walked through the lobby while Lewbert was yelling at us for walking on his freshly mopped floor. We both felt that it would be too awkward to speak of anything that happened between us in or outside of the building the day before I left. Once we were about a block away, I spoke.

"Sam told me you two hung out while I was gone." I shifted my head a little so that I was looking at her. Carly was upsetting me more and more. She was walking with her head down. She always walked the streets with her chin up and confidence that could be smelled from a mile away. Why was she beating herself up so much? I waited for her response but she didn't say anything.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm really sorry about what happened Freddie," she finally decided to speak up. "I didn't mean to do it. I told Sam that I just didn't want to hurt anymore. What Griffin did really hit me in ways I never expected. I mean, how would you feel if you found Sam in bed with some other guy?"

"I would be devastated," I admitted. I must have not thought of Carly's feelings as much as I should have. I knew she was hurting but I wanted her to get better with the snap of a finger. But that's not possible. She needed time to heal. I know I wouldn't like it I found Sam with another guy. Carly loved Griffin just as much as I loved Sam and her explanation made me feel for her even more.

"I'm kind of jealous," she confessed. I looked at her weirdly because I didn't know what she meant by that. Did she mean that she was starting to like me?

"Oh no, not like that Freddie," she shook her head. "What I mean is, when I was with Griffin, he never told me he loved me. I just assumed he did and that he was trying to keep his bad boy image up by not sharing his feelings with me. But he didn't feel any of that. What you have with Sam is beautiful and it's a rare thing."

"I love her," I said happily. I smiled at her with gratitude. I watched her as she flashed a smile at me back. It was nice to see her smile again, even if there was still some sadness behind it. At least I was making her feel better.

"So you forgive me?" asked Carly.

"I was never mad to begin with, Carly. I was upset at first but I shouldn't have yelled at you. Do you forgive me?"

"Of course," she said and we stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. She pulled me into a friendly hug and I was happy that things were finally good between us again.

"Look, I know you're upset right now but I think that over time, you'll be all over it," I said to her. I hoped that my words were enough to convince her that it will be all right in the end.

"I sure hope so," she said softly as she looked up at the sky with a big sigh coming out of her mouth.

* * *

School went by too quickly for me. I got piled with make up work that I had to finish as soon as possible. Having mostly Advances Placement classes meant that I had A LOT of work to make up. I managed to finish about a quarter of the work that I was supposed to make up. It was hard but I pulled through. Whatever free time I had, I used it to do a little homework and I spent the entire lunch period at the library working on more homework. Carly offered to help me out with some of my work and I happily accepted her offer. Studying was going to keep her mind off Griffin. Shane also decided to meet me at the Groovy Smoothie so we could do our homework together.

Carly and I walked together to the Groovy Smoothie, just talking about how our day went. We didn't have any classes together so we both had something interesting to say. Carly seemed a little bit happier as she told me about how her English teacher's chair fell apart completely just as she was about to sit down. But she lost her balance and fell anyways. Carly was giggling as she told me her story. I was hoping that she was slowly learning to move on from Griffin. She deserved so much better.

We walked in and I noticed that Sam was already inside. She was behind the counter, tying her apron on behind her neck and then on her waist. After she put her hair up in a ponytail and put her visor on, she said her good bye to the worker who worked the first shift. I signaled Carly to get us a table. I walked up to the register.

"Hello," I greeted her with a big smile. She turned around and smiled back. We both leaned on the counter and gave each other a peck on the lips. I couldn't be too affectionate towards her while she was on the job. Though her boss was cool, I didn't want her to get in trouble.

"Hey. Gonna get some studying done?"

"Yeah. Carly wanted to tag along. I figured that if we studied together, it would take her mind off of Griffin," I said as I turned to look at Carly, who took a table by the window. Her chin was resting on the palm of her hand as she looked at the cars passing by. She was thinking of him again.

"Good. She's been really upset lately. Do you want some smoothies?"

"Yes please. Shane is also coming so could you make three?" I pleaded with puppy dog eyes. She laughed at my attempt to be cute.

"Coming right up. So anyways, I actually have an hour break today in about two hours. Wanna go to the park?" asked Sam as she was preparing three smoothies for me, Carly, and Shane.

"Oh sure. I think I'm going to need a break myself from all of the make up work that I have waiting for me," I said as I watched her put the lids and straws on the cups. She handed them to me. I leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

I walked back to Carly, who was still looking out the window. She looked upset and I knew I had to get her to stop thinking about Griffin. The more she had her mind off him, the quicker she would get over him. I didn't know why I was so concerned for her. Maybe it was the nice guy in me. Or maybe it was the fact that I used to get that upset whenever Carly used to remind me that we could never be more than friends. Any other guy, would have enjoyed watching their former love interest who constantly rejected him get hurt and heartbroken but not me. Whatever heartache Carly put me through was not her fault. I began to understand that we just weren't meant to be and that no one deserves to hurt the way Carly was. I really wanted to see her happy again.

I handed her the smoothie that Sam made for her. One thing I loved about Sam working at the Groovy Smoothie was the free food. Neither of us abused that privilege because Sam could get fired but it was nice to get free drinks every once in a while. Carly thanked me with a small smile. I didn't want to suffocate her with a million ways to distract her so I looked out the window for a moment. I noticed Shane coming towards the store. I completely forgot to tell Carly that there was supposed to be three of us doing homework. She must not have noticed the third smoothie cup that I placed on the table.

"Carly, I totally forgot to tell you. My friend Shane is going to be doing homework with us. Is that okay?" I asked her. I didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable but she shook her head instead.

"Oh no it's okay. I don't mind. Who is Shane by the way? I keep hearing about him from Wendy but I've never met him," she said curiously.

"Oh. Shane is in the AV Club with me. I think you're going to like him. He's really nice."

I heard the bell ring, indicating that someone was either coming in or coming out of the store. I turned and saw Shane standing by the door, looking around. Maybe he didn't spot me. I hollered and when he saw me, I signaled him to come sit with us. As he walked towards us, I noticed that Carly's eyes were practically glued to Shane. When he sat down, I handed him his smoothie and we got out our books. Before we could start any work, I had to introduce my two friends.

"Hey Shane. This is my friend Carly. Carly this my buddy Shane."

"Hi," Carly said to him sweetly as she offered to shake his hand.

"Hey, nice to meet you," he smiled her.

As I saw them both shake hands, an idea struck me. I mentally kicked myself for not thinking of the perfect idea while I was still in California. Shane was also heartbroken by a girl who cheated on him. He was probably still upset about it and Carly was obviously still very hurt from Griffin's infidelity. I figured that since the two have been hurt before, they would use that as a common ground and maybe they could develop into something more. Shane is nice and completely respectful towards girls. I approved. I was confused as to why Carly didn't know who Shane was. Both were pretty popular but I guessed they didn't know each other because of their clubs. Carly was in yearbook while Shane was in AV. I decided to think of ways to get the two to hang out more often.

"Let's get this homework done," I said, snapping out of my thoughts and opening my books.

We spent over an hour and a half working most of the homework that was assigned to me and Shane for missing school yesterday. I didn't think that missing one day of school would be so stressful. When I stayed at home for over a week because I was so depressed about my dad's death, I still did my homework because my teachers emailed me every assignment. This time, I had a lot of to make up for, even if it was just one day without going to school and without my teachers emailing me my homework.

We decided to take a little break and just talk about something other than homework. My brain was pretty much fried from all of the work we did and my hand was cramping pretty badly as well.

"Freddie, has Sam talked to you about Spencer's wedding?" Carly asked me.

"Yeah. She said that she's going to be a bridesmaid along with you and Wendy."

"And Spencer wants you, Shane, and Gibby to be the groomsmen. What do you guys think?" she asked but she was mainly looking at Shane. She must have taken a liking to him rather quickly, which was good.

"Sounds good," said Shane. "When's the wedding?"

"It's this summer so we don't have to worry about it getting in the way of our school work. It's going to be great. I'm looking forward to it." I noticed her lips curved into a wide smile and I felt satisfied with myself for distracting her.

I turned around for a second to see how Sam was doing and I saw that she was taking off her apron, visor, and she put her hair down. That meant that her break had officially begun. I turned to Carly and Shane, letting them know that I was going to spend some time with Sam and if they were okay with me leaving them alone. They said they were okay with it so I stood up and walked out of the Groovy Smoothie. Sam was already outside waiting for me.

Her back was facing me as she was looking at the cars passing by. I decided to approach her by wrapping my arms around her waist from behind. She gasped in surprised but then she warmed up to the feeling of my arms around her. Her head leaned back to rest on my chest and I placed my chin on her shoulder. I didn't know why but after spending the night together, I became fascinated by her shoulders. I found myself kissing them a lot or just resting my chin on them.

"Ready to go?" I whispered in her ear. She turned around in my arms and kissed my lips before taking my hand and leading me towards the park. It was gloomy outside. The sky was gray and the sun was nowhere to be found. The wind was blowing through the city softly and though it was a little chilly, the cold air was very relaxing. I didn't even need a sweater. I had a feeling it would rain but I hoped that it wouldn't rain until I got home but living in Seattle, that was nearly impossible.

We reached the empty park and we ended up sitting on the grass, a couple of feet away from the playground, which look completely abandoned. The swings were swinging due to the wind and it looked a little scary. I decided not to look at them. Instead, I laid down on the grass and I gently pulled Sam closer to me so that she was resting her head on my chest. My hands were on her waist while one of hers was drawing invisible figures on my shoulder.

I wanted to stay that way for a long time. It felt so good to have her close to me. We didn't have to make love in order to actually love each other. I felt like I was at one with her by just simply holding her hand or holding her in my arms. Even though what we did last night was perfect, I was wondering when it would happen again. Not that I was being a crazy teenage boy with hormones. I didn't want to pressure her into anything. I figured that whenever it happens again, it would be at the right moment, just like last night. But at the moment, I just wanted to hold her close. That was enough for me.

"I love you," I whispered to her. We were both in peace and I felt like I would disturb it if I spoke up. She lifted her head a little bit so that she could look at me. Her eyes were going from my eyes to my lips. I lowered my head down and I kissed her softly.

"I love you too," she whispered back. "But what's that on your neck?"

"Oh...," I blushed. My mom said it wasn't noticeable unless it was looked at carefully. So Sam was staring at my neck for a while. "You uh, kind of bit me hard there and it left a mark."

"Ha ha. Sorry," she said sarcastically. She seemed to get a kick out of me feeling embarrassed. "You can barely tell though. Nice cover up."

"Did it hurt that bad?" I asked. She bit me pretty hard and my neck hurt whenever I touched it. But I was more concerned about her. I knew that the first time for a girl would be painful and I wanted to know if I hurt her that bad.

"It did but it's normal. I'm alive aren't I? And sorry about your neck." She lifted her head a little and began leaving butterfly kisses on my neck to try and make the spot less painful. It definitely helped.

She didn't stop. She was at it for a few minutes and I just laid back and enjoyed it. She moved from my neck to my lips. We were so caught up in the moment. Usually, Sam and I never get this affectionate in public but we were in an empty park. I really didn't mind this time. The kiss intensified with every second that past. Next thing I knew, out tongues were invading each others' mouth's. It felt good to kiss her like that. We didn't do it often, only after a serious situation. We pulled away, looking into each others eyes. Her blue eyes looked even more icy, especially in the cold weather and under the gloomy sky. Her hair bangs were lifted from her forehead and it swayed with the wind. I didn't think it was possible for Sam to be ever more beautiful than she normally was. I was blown away.

We must have been too into each other, that I didn't feel droplets of water falling on my arm. It wasn't until it started raining a little harder that we had to get up. Sam was screaming, using her hands as a shield to protect her hair. I laughed because her hands were so small and she couldn't possibly protect her long hair from getting wet. It wasn't pouring so I just decided to use the rain to my advantage. I placed my arms under her arms and I lifted her up. She shrieked as I spun her around for a few seconds. She threw her head back and enjoyed the moment.

When I put her down, she snaked her arms around my neck and I pulled her closer to me when I put my arms around her hips. For some reason, the rain just made everything a lot more romantic. I remembered how Carly and Wendy thought kissing in the rain was so amazing and wonderful and "oh so romantic." Those were their exact words. I thought it was so silly because people could get sick. But it was just me and Sam, alone in the park, under the rain. It was perfect. I leaned down and kissed her gently.

After we pulled away from each other, she grabbed my hand and dragged me towards the playground. We ended up sliding ourselves inside one of the round tunnels. I looked at her with a look that said 'what are you doing?' but I pushed that thought aside the more I looked at her. She was breathing heavily and the her hair was damp. Her bangs were sticking to her forehead. With the very little room we had, I raised my hand up and I gently pushed her bangs aside. I kissed her forehead before pulling her on top of me. We were in a very small tunnel and laying on my side was very uncomfortable. Her chin was on my chest as she looked at me.

"Why are we here?"

"Dude, I go back to work in like thirty minutes. I don't want to get soaked. But hey, it's nice in here."

"I could barely move." I argued back.

She didn't say anything. We just laid there, despite how uncomfortable I was, looking at each other and enjoying the moment. I raised my hands so that they were cupping her face. The only thing I could hear was the sound of the rain and our breathing. Even after two and a half months of dating, I still couldn't believe how lucky I was to have this amazing, beautiful girl with me. I was so tempted to pinch myself and see if this was all real or just a dream.

"Is this real?" I asked her softly.

"What do you mean?" Sam looked at me questionably.

"Us. Is it really real?" she chuckled for a moment before she placed a quick kiss on my chin.

"I find it hard to believe sometimes too. But it's definitely real," she smirked at me as I felt her fingers pinch my arm. I screamed in pain because she pinched me really hard. She really thought it was amusing to see me in pain because she was laughing harder but she made it u p to me and she kissed the spot that she pinched through my shirt.

"Okay okay, I believe. So how was your day?" I asked her, completely changing the subject.

"What do you think? Boring as hell," said Sam as she rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Oh guess what.? I forgot to tell you. My birthday is coming up. It's in about two weeks. I asked T-Bo if I could take the day off. Maybe we could spend the day together?"

"That would be awesome," I said to her happily. In a matter of seconds, an imaginary light bulb lit up above my head. I wanted to throw her a surprise party. I knew Carly would be thrilled to help me out. An awesome surprise party at Carly's house with just a few of our friends and all of Sam's favorite snacks. I was more than excited to tell Carly about my plan. A few minutes later, I heard Sam's phone go off. It was her alarm, indicating that she had fifteen minutes to get back to work. I grunted, not wanting her to go back.

"What am I going to do? It's raining and I can't miss work today!" She bunched up her eyebrows worriedly. I thought for a moment.

"How about we run as fast as we can and maybe T-Bo could spare you an extra uniform?" I said. It wasn't the smartest idea but it was all I could come up with.

"It's not like I have a choice. Okay." She slid out of the tunnel and I followed her quickly. We ran all the way back to the Groovy Smoothie non stop. We were almost soaking wet when we arrived. Lucky for Sam, T-Bo was okay with the fact that we got caught in the rain. He offered her an extra uniform. I walled back to the table where I was doing my homework. Carly and Shane weren't there and neither were my books and bag pack. I dug my hand into my pocket and I reached for my phone.

I got a text from Carly saying that Shane was walking her home and that she was going to leave my bag at my apartment. I smiled, knowing that Carly and Shane made an instant connection. And since the two will be a part of the wedding, they would spend more time together. I couldn't believe what I was plotting. Carly was the center of my universe back when I liked her and a few years later, I was planning on hooking her up with one of my closest friends. It's crazy how life works sometimes.

Sam came back out, wearing the uniform that T-Bo gave her so she could finish her shift. She walked up to me with an umbrella in her hands. I knew I had to get home as soon as possible to change clothes so I wouldn't catch a cold.

"So where are the other two?" asked Sam as she handed me the umbrella. I kissed her on the cheek, thanking her for the umbrella.

"Shane decided to walk Carly back home. I think they are hitting it off well," I said to her proudly.

"Me too. Good for her. She deserves a nice guy. I have to get back to work. See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow." We kissed one last time and I walked out of the smoothie shop and back home to change clothes and finish some more homework.

* * *

A couple of days later, I was in my room, working on some homework. Sam couldn't come over because she got the late night shift and she had to close the store. I was upset for a bit but she said that she was going to visit me after work tomorrow to make it up to me. As I worked on my AP English assignment, I heard my phone ring. It was Sam. I sure didn't expect her to call me. I thought she would just crash the minute she came home. I grabbed my phone and pressed it against my ear.

"Hey Sam, what's up?"

"Freddie, I'm a little scared," she admitted. Sam was never one to admit when she was scared but when she did, I knew it would be serious. I began to panic, assuming the worst happened. Maybe her mom came up to her room and started hitting her, possibly with a bat.

"What's wrong? Did your mom hurt you?" I'll go get you!" I said as I began to look around for my shoes and some jeans that I could put on as fast as possible. I was in my Star Wars pajamas.

"No no no. She didn't do anything but she is acting... weird?" said Sam.

"What do you mean?" I asked her curiously. It was weird enough that she was selling her body for money and drank alcohol like it was water. What could she possibly do to make her actions qualify as weird?

"She's in her room right now, crying hysterically. It's been like this all week. She just locks herself in her room and cries. I don't know what to do." Sam sounded worried. All her mom ever did to her was bring her down and beat her at any given chance. The fact that Sam was concerned was something I could not understand.

"Oh. Well that's kind of weird. At least she's not hurting you right?" I asked worriedly. As harsh as it may sound, I didn't care at all about Sam's mom. She was cruel to her for no reason and I couldn't stand the way she treated her.

"She stopped crying right now. I really don't know what's happening. She doesn't go to her job anymore either. Sometimes, I find her laying on the couch just crying. She stopped buying booze and she stopped hitting me. You think she's depressed?"

It really was weird that Sam's mom was suddenly acting differently. Maybe the pain of loosing her husband finally got to her. Maybe that was her way of breaking down and letting it all out, kind of like the way Sam let it all out to me after her fight with Mindy. But at the same time, I was relieved that she wasn't abusing Sam anymore. The last thing I wanted was for Sam to get beat up again and have to see those heart breaking bruises on her arms, face, stomach...

"As long as she's not hurting you, try not to worry about it. Maybe that's her way of dealing with things right now. Give her time," I advised her. I didn't want her to worry and over stress herself.

"Thanks. I'm going to try and get some sleep okay?"

"Okay Sam. I love you."

"Love you too. Night," she said and hung up the phone.

I didn't know what was going on with Sam's mom. I just didn't want her to do anything big that could hurt my girlfriend...

* * *

**Oooooh. What did you guys think of the ending.**

**I hope y'all liked this chapter. This one is quite lengthy with over 8 thousand words. But that includes authors notes as well lol. Anyways, I know that there has been a lot of cute, romantic, cheesiness in the last few chapters but the next chapter is going to get a little dramatic. Hooray for more conflict haha. **

**In the next chapter, it will be Sam's birthday and we find that her mom leaves her quite the birthday surprise. What do you think will happen to Sam's mom? I'd love to see what you guys think. Oh and Freddie discovers something about Sam that he doesn't know. It sounds kind of bad but trust me it isn't. He thinks he knows everything about her but Sam forgot to mention one little detail about her life. **

**So please review. Let me know what you thought of... everything haha. What did you think about the Carly and Freddie friendship? Cute huh? And what about Carly and Shane? Lol**

**Until next time. :)**

**PS. If you read my other stories, you have probably read Summer Vacation. I haven't updated the story in over a month but as soon as I get this chapter up on FFnet, I will start working on the next chapter of SV. If you haven't read it, the story is kind of inspired by The Last Song. Sam goes to California to stay with her dad and Melanie. She brings Carly, Freddie, and Spencer along. Lots of secrets will be revealed and Sam will reconnect with her dad. And if you have read the story, this is what will happen in the next chapter. The girls convince Sam to enter the 4th of July beauty pageant. Melanie convinces everyone to go to a rave with her, where she tries to get her exboyfriend back but her plans backfire. It's gonna be a good one lol :D**


	29. Chapter 28: Happy Birthday

**Hey everyone. I'm so sorry the late update. I kind of wanted to take a break from writing for a while. And now I'm back in school full time and it's really hard to keep up on fanfiction. I hope you guys aren't upset. **

**Thanks to deviocity, clawx2, seddielovergrl, crono inverse, CouldIBeMoreRandom, NCISMcAbbyISthebest, X-Star-Girl-26-X, baronvonmilo, hartful13, and Kpfan72491 for reviewing the last chapter. I'm really glad you like it. **

**And a big thanks to mygirl1807. This chapter is dedicated to you. Thanks for that review spree. I really enjoyed reading your reviews and I'm glad you love the story enough to even messag me, asking me if I was gonna continue writing it. It means a lot to me. **

**Anyways, this chapter is going to get a little sad in the end. I bet a lot of you are kind of sick that Sam has to suffer a lot and I'm sorry that it's going to continue but I promise, this story has a happy ending. So enjoy. :)**

* * *

_Ring ring..._

I pressed my phone to my ear as it rang.

_Ring ring..._

Still no answer.

_Ring ring..._

"Hello?" Freddie finally picked up.

"Let's hang out," I said, not really wasting any time on greeting him or even asking him if he wanted to get together.

"Sam, please don't get mad but I can't. I have to help Spencer with his sculpture," he said quickly but I noticed a hint of sympathy in his voice.

"Again? Okay well... just call me when you're not busy... bye." I hung up and I threw my head back, hard against my pillow in frustration. It's been like that for about two weeks. He just didn't have the time to hang out or talk on the phone like we always do. He'd come to my work during my five minute breaks but that's not enough. He was beginning to get too busy for my liking, helping Spencer with his sculptures, or tutoring Carly and Wendy. I wanted some alone time.

I finally had a day off and I thought that maybe he would want to spend some time but no, he was too busy. Frustration was building up inside of me, so much that I just wanted to scream at the top of lungs with my face buried in my pillow until I could no longer breathe. I was physically exhausted and I didn't want to go out for a walk or something just to get away from my house.

Everything in my life was becoming strange. Besides the fact that Freddie was too busy to hang out, my mother made a complete one eighty. One day she was balling her firsts, getting ready to throw one of her cheap shots at me and the next, she was locked up in her bathroom, crying as if the end of the world was coming. I was confused beyond belief by her actions, which were none. Everyday, on my way to school or every night, coming home from work, I'd walk by her and she wouldn't even look at me. She let me walk by without her getting angry or violent. How does someone go from a complete violent bitch to an emotional wreck overnight? It just doesn't make sense.

I groaned to myself, absolutely hating the fact that I was stuck at home on a Friday night with my bipolar mom. But since she stopped her violent ways, I wasn't so cautious anymore about keeping my door locked or avoiding her like I used to. I decided to make myself breakfast for dinner so I walked to the kitchen to prepare some pancakes and bacon. I grabbed a plate and piled all of my food on it, grabbed a bottle of root beer, and I was on my way back to my room when something stopped me.

I heard sniffling coming from the living room. It was my mom and she was getting ready to cry again. I rolled my eyes. I couldn't say that I actually felt sorry for her. Ever since I was a little girl, my respect for my mom has been non existent. Sure, I held some love and care for her, she's my mother of course, but not enough to try and comfort her. At first, it was pretty frightening, seeing her so depressed but then when it became an every day thing, I grew tired of it. I wanted it to stop, to go away completely and stop haunting me. In a way, it was just as bad as her hitting me. She always pulled the blame game on me and something deep inside alerted me, telling me that I was the reason why she was crying.

The first day she broke down, it was around midnight. Her cries were so loud that they woke me up. I couldn't leave the room but I sat there on my bed while I listened. Her cries were full of sorrow, I could tell but I didn't have it in me to try and rub her back to make her feel better. Ever since that awkward night, I was left wondering what caused all of this. At first I thought that she was depressed. Maybe her lifestyle got the better of her and she just couldn't take it anymore. Maybe that was the reason why she stopped prostituting herself all together.

Then I began to wonder if her "job" was the reason why she was so messed, but in a different way. Maybe she was pregnant and her hormones were going crazy, making her cry to the point where it's just not normal anymore. She cried so much, I couldn't remember the last time she stop just to inhale deeply so she wouldn't suffocate. But then I noticed that she wasn't puking constantly or eating more than I normally do, and that's saying something because I eat A LOT. It just didn't make sense to me in the end.

She wasn't pregnant, she wasn't depressed, and I had no idea what was going on with her. Finally, I convinced myself that it was my fault. She used to preach and tell me over and over that I killed my father, that it was all my fault because I wanted a silly little string for my guitar. And as much as I told myself that no, it wasn't my fault, that it was some idiot who stabbed him to death, I ended up believing that it was my fault. If my father wasn't dead, my mom would still be babysitting, she wouldn't be a drunken disaster, and she certainly wouldn't be so fucking emotional.

After watching her for a few seconds, I continued walking towards the stairs so I could be alone in my room but something stopped me again. I heard footsteps coming towards me. It was my mom walking my way. The first thing that came to mind was that she was done crying and ready to hurt me again. I wanted to run upstairs as fast as my legs could take me but I just stood there, not moving a muscle as she approached me.

"Sam," she whispered as soon as she stopped in front of me. I felt the beat of my heart increase and I had no clue why. It was possible that I was a little afraid of what she was going to say, or worse, what she was going to do to me. Or maybe my heart was racing because it was the first time in a long time that she actually called me by my name instead of a bitch.

I didn't respond to her. I simply looked at her, I actually looked into her eyes after God knows how long. It's crazy how alike we are, the blue eyes, the long blond hair. I'm glad that's all we have common. Aside from Freddie, she's actually shown me the harm you can do when you abuse or bully people. I waited for her to speak.

"I just wanted to say... I'm sorry," she said, so quietly that I barely heard it. But I did and I remained still, with my eyes widening at first and then my eyebrows bunching up together in confusion. I finally got the nerve to walk back up to my room and once I was seated, I began to register in my head what exactly happened with my mom. It took no less than ten seconds but it happened. My own mother apologized to me and all I could do was wonder why. What suddenly caused this change of heart? And to be honest, I didn't like it one bit. I was so used to not having her care that I just didn't want her to apologize. I was fine not having her speak to me. I pushed every thought of my mother aside and I began to eat my meal.

* * *

The day of my birthday finally arrived and I was honestly not that excited about it. With everyone being busy, I knew I was going to spend the day locked up in my room with my hysterical mother in her bathroom, crying as if it was her damn job. I didn't even know why I bothered to dress a little nicer than I usually dress. I was wearing a purple v-neck tshirt, it was flattering unlike most of the shirts I wear. I wore a black vest over the shirt, skinny jeans, and a pair of black and white Converse. It was simple but it was still a little nicer for my taste. I actually wanted this birthday to be memorable and fun so I went out of my way to find something nice but I felt like in the end, it was no use. I was going to spend my birthday alone anyways.

I was about to take off my clothes and change into my pajamas when I heard someone knocking on the front door. No one ever came to visit unless it was Freddie but I doubt it was him since he was spending his precious time doing stuff that doesn't involve me. I thought about just letting them knock on the door enough times to realize the no one was home and they could just walk away but a small part of me was hoping that it was Freddie so instead of changing like I was planning on doing, I walked to the door to open it.

As soon as I opened that door, I was greeted by what seemed three dozen tulips. They were in various colors like white, violet, and blue. I couldn't see the person behind the flowers but I took them anyways so I could see. My mood completely changed from a bad one to a good one when I finally saw the person who was knocking on my door. Freddie stood in front of me with his hands behind his back, giving me a shy smile.

As touched as I was, the fact that he showered me with a lot of flowers didn't mean that I wasn't a little irritated with him anymore. Truth is, I was more than happy to see him, but I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that. Without saying one word to him, I turned towards the kitchen so I could put the flowers in water and then I walked back to the door to talk to Freddie. He wasted no time.

"Happy birthday," he blurted out before I could even step out of the house and close the door so we could talk. It was easy to break down any wall when I'm with him. I couldn't keep on that annoyed look on my face, I simply smiled at him and shrugged my shoulders as I stuffed my hands in my back pockets. I waited for him to say more than just a simple happy birthday.

"I'm sorry I haven't been able to spend any time with you these last two weeks but you didn't think I'd forget about your birthday right?" He slowly stepped closer to me and his hands went straight to my waist. He kept them there until I swung my arms around his shoulders and held him in a long hug. I couldn't stay angry or annoyed with his for too long. I was probably just being paranoid about him forgetting my birthday.

"Actually, I kind of did think that," I said to him while we were still embracing each other. There was no use in lying to him and tell him that I expected both of us to have the day all to ourselves. I pulled my head back a little to look at him, we were still holding each other.

"I could never forget about your birthday. It's the big one eight. How do you feel about that?"

"Eh, it's nothing special," I confessed. "What's the most I can do? Show my ID when it's required, play the lottery, and buy cigarettes. I don't see the big deal."

What I didn't tell him was that I wanted to move out. After getting my car fixed, I began to save so I'd have enough for my own place. But then I decided that it really wasn't worth moving out when graduation was so close. I was going to move with Freddie to California anyways so looking for a place in the meantime would be pretty pointless. I just have to endure about two more months with my mom before I could move and leave this place forever.

"Well, one thing you can do is spend the day with me. How does that sound," he said with a smirk.

"Freddie, when did you become so smooth?" I poked his stomach, causing him to laugh a little. "I'll go get my things."

* * *

Freddie and I spent the rest of the afternoon at the movies. We decided to skip the the romantic comedies and go for the gory ones. At some point, Freddie was so scared he had to cover his eyes and lean on my shoulder. I simply laughed it off but I was also glad that the back rows weren't as full as the front rows or else he would have been very embarrassed.

After the marathon of scary movies, he took me to Starbucks for a drink. I didn't want to go to the Groovy Smoothie because work was the last thing I wanted on my mind on the day of my birthday. When we were done, he said he needed to get some money from Spencer so we could go bowling. Spencer paid him to help him out with his sculptures and he wanted to use that money on me. He knocked on the Shay's door and we heard Spencer holler from the other side of the door to us to come in.

We walked in the entire place was pitch black. My first thought was how stupid could someone be to have all the lights out while still in the house. But the moment we stepped into the apartment, someone turned on every light in the room and right in front of me was a group of people screaming "Happy Birthday" in my face, cheering and throwing confetti over my head. The room was decorated with balloons and there was a big cake on the kitchen table.

Everyone that I met because of Freddie was in the living room, wishing me a happy birthday. Carly, Spencer, Wendy, Shane, Gibby, and his girlfriend Tasha. He even brought his little brother Guppy who gave me a small flower. It wasn't a lot but to me, it was more than I ever imagined. There I was, thinking that I was going to spend my birthday all alone doing nothing but hearing my mom cry but instead, there was a group of people at my boyfriend's neighbor's apartment celebrating my birthday. All I could do was look at them surprised with a smile on my face as they all hugged me.

"Wow.. um thanks guys," I said, feeling completely dumbfounded because I totally didn't expect for anyone to throw me a surprise party.

We all settled down by sitting in the living room. Spencer carried the cake and set it on the table that was between the TV and the sofa. I blew all the candles and immediately cut a piece for myself. After we were all done with the cake, everyone thought it would be fun if we all played Guitar Hero. When my turn was over, Freddie called me over and told me he wanted me to help him get something upstairs.

He pushed the button and we waited for the elevator. When we were in and the door closed, he pushed the button that stopped the elevator. I didn't have the time to give him any confused expressions because as soon as the elevator stopped, I felt myself being pressed against the the wall and a pair of lips attacking mines. I stared at him as he had his eyes closed while he kissed me feverishly. I quickly slid my arms around his neck and slowly closed my eyes as I began to kiss him back.

This kiss was unlike any of our other kisses. He was always so gentle with me, this one was far from it. It was hard, passionate, and I actually liked it. This was a side of Freddie that I've never seen before. He moaned softly as our tongues were pressed against each other. Even though he had me pressed hard against the wall, his body molding with mine, his hands managed to slide down my sides and slip into my back pockets.

There were no words in any language that could describe the feeling of him kissing me the way he was. In the back of my mind, I was thankful that he had me pressed against the wall so forcefully or else I would have collapsed on the floor. I felt as if I couldn't stand up properly, my legs were getting weaker and weaker by the second and as if they were made of some sort of mushy material and can't hold anything up.

After a few minutes of our intense make out session, he pulled back, breathing heavily as he leaned his forehead against mine. I couldn't bring myself to open my eyes, as if I would fall to the floor if I opened them. When my breathing was back to normal, I opened my eyes as slowly as I closed them earlier. Freddie's eyes were still closed and his hands were still on my back pockets. I closed mine again, wanting to savor the moment of us being together again after not spending enough time together the past two weeks. It was perfect, no one could ever ruin this moment. Still keeping my eyes closed, I whispered to him.

"What was that for?"

"It's my way of apologizing for not spending time with you while I planned your little surprise," he whispered back. I didn't have to look at him to know that he was smirking as he spoke to me.

"I really am sorry," he added. "You don't know how much it killed me inside to keep this from you but I wanted you to have a good birthday."

I pulled my head back, away from his to finally open my eyes. He did so too and I looked at him gratefully. What did I do to deserve such a an amazing, romantic, and great guy? I couldn't figure out but I didn't question it as much. He's here with me and that is all that matters.

"Thank you," I said sincerely, honestly, and thankfully from the bottom of my heart.

We stood in each others arms, neither one of us saying anything. That's one thing I love about our relationship. We don't have to keep a conversation going in order to communicate. Sometimes, just holding each other close was worth more than any word any of us have exchanged since we met. The way he holds me tight but gently at the same time, the rythym of his heartbeat when I have my head resting on his chest, it all tells me that he loves me.

I completely forgot that Freddie asked me to come to the third floor to help him get some party supplies that he foregot to get earlier. I began to wonder more and more if he really needed to get something or if he just wanted to get me alone for a moment before going back to the small party downstairs.

"So, I figure you didn't exactly want me to help you carry something downstairs?" I asked with a smile from ear to ear. Only Freddie could make me smile like a complete idiot and it would be okay.

"It's your birthday, you are not to lift one finger. Unless it's for eating or game playing," he replied as he pushed the button to bring the elevator back downstairs.

"You dork," I laughed and gave him a quick peck on the lips as we headed downstairs to rejoin everyone.

* * *

I wanted to stay past midnight and enjoy the small get together that Freddie planned for me but unfortunately, everyone had to go home because they had plans on Sunday. Even more unfortunate was the fact that Mrs. Benson wanted Freddie home before midnight. After some convincing, Freddie managed to borrow his mom's car for the very first time so he could drive me home by himself. I was relieved because I didn't want another one of those awkward moments, the ones when Freddie and I kiss in front of his mom and she completely ruins the mood by honking at us to stop.

Looking out the window of the car as he drove me back home, I was staring at nothing but darkness but I still felt like everything in my life was being lit up by the sun. It felt like, dare I say, a fairy tale. Everything was perfect and the sunshine was shining on me, life blessing me with a great boyfriend and friends that even though I haven't known for too long, I already felt like I've known them for a long time. I finally had a group of people, a place where I belong, despite our differences. I wanted to kick myself for thinking such cheesy and ridiculous thought but I can't remember the last time I was this happy. In the end, I didn't care.

We stepped out of the car once he parked in front of my house. Freddie insisted on walking me upstairs and tucking me into bed. Because it was still my birthday and I deserved to be treated like a princess. At some point, he called me his Princess Puckett. If anyone else had said that to me, I would have gagged and give them a life changing, painful wedgie. But with Freddie, it doesn't matter what annoying pet names he gives me.

We walked into the house and I took a deep breath. It was refreshing to smell something other than alcohol in my house. I threw my bag on the floor and yawned, feeling tired all of a sudden. I was leading Freddie up to my room when he grabbed my arm tightly and pulled me closer to him.

"Uh... Sam?"

"What is it?" I asked him, looking at him confused. He was beginning to look pale and worried to it honestly worried me as well.

"What happened to your mom?" He pointed towards the living room and sure enough, my mother was on her couch sleeping in a sitting position. I didn't understand why Freddie seemed so worried until he pointed to the empty bottle of pills and a water bottle, both on the floor. There was water everywhere. Now it's time to panic.

I walked over to her and shook her gently to try and wake her up. I looked up at Freddie who shrugged his shoulders. I shook her a little bit harder and she still wouldn't wake up. the panic in me increased and I felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest as I shook her hard and harder. I was calling out to her softly but the more I called out to her, the more my voice started to crack. Why wasn't she waking up?

"What's going on?" I barely managed to ask Freddie. He bent down and pressed his fingers against my mom's neck where the pulse point is. I heard him take in a deep shaky breath. He placed his arm around me and squeezed my shoulder tightly after picking up the empty bottle of medication that was on the floor.

"Sam... I.. uh. I don't know how to tell you this," he said, having trouble speaking clearly. Whatever he had to say was obviously not good news.

"She's gone. I think she overdosed," he finally managed to say. I looked at him with wide eyes in disbelief.

I wanted to cry but I stopped myself. I she way too many tears and I was sick of it. I felt my throat getting smaller and I was finding it hard to speak. It was as if it was clogged up and any word I wanted to speak wouldn't come out because of the tears I was refusing to let out.

I took the bottle from Freddie's hand I looked at it carefully. I didn't read any of the information on it. I was just looking at it, wondering why my mom used this to kill herself. Why would she want to kill herself anyways and just leave me alone like this. I have no one else here, no aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, or even my sister. She left me alone in an empty house. As I continued to look at the bottle, I tried to put the pieces together. She was obviously upset about my dad's death to the point where she would blame me for it. She clearly hated me, hence why would beat me almost on a daily basis. After months of prostituting herself, she finally stopped and began to get even more emotional, crying at any given chance. Did she commit suicide so she could be with my dad? Why did she apologize to me before overdosing?

I squeezed the bottle in anger. She wasn't really sorry for hurting me. She wanted to die in peace, knowing that her conscious would be cleared if she apologized before committing suicide. She was only thinking of herself, wanting to die just so she won't have to live such a shitty life. She didn't care if she left me all alone without any way of surviving on my own. I was more than pissed, I didn't even know why I was feeling so betrayed, so back stabbed. She used to beat me up for the smallest things and there I was, feeling completely alone and helpless because she decided to leave me.

"Are you okay, Sam?" I felt Freddie's grip on my shoulder tighten as soon as he noticed my hands shaking.

"That selfish bitch never cared for me," I said angrily. "She apologized to me for everything she's done to me but she only did it to be at peace with herself. She left me alone without thinking what would happen to me."

"Why would she do that to me?" I cried out, finally giving into the tears that were just waiting to spill out of my eyes. I jumped into his arms, holding him tightly and burying my face in his neck as I cried some more. How did I go from having the best day of my life to one of the worst in a matter of seconds?

"What am I going to do?"

I didn't know what I was going to do now that I didn't have someone to pay the bills anymore. I pictured myself, living on the streets because The Groovy Smoothie is just a part time job and I wouldn't have enough for every bill. I felt Freddie's hand go up and down my back, trying to comfort me and calm me down. I was feeling hopeless, like there is a force out there that doesn't want to see me happy for longer than I hope for.

"It's going to be fine Sam, I promise. Look, let's call my mom and the police. I'm sure my mom has no problem letting you stay at our place."

I held him tighter, as if it was possible to hold him closer than I already was. If there is anyone that can really make a situation slightly better, it's Freddie. If he wasn't with me, I don't know where I would be in live. I wouldn't have my job, my grades would have been all F's, I would be ,forever alone. I was completely thankful for having him in my life.

* * *

The next day, I was feeling a little better but still pretty down after everything that happened. My mom's funeral was taking place in about a week and I knew I had to call Melanie. I didn't want to tell Freddie about Melanie. That was the one thing I didn't tell him about my life. Ever since we were little, I was always under Melanie's shadow. She was always the prettier one because she actually dressed like a cute little girl, she was always the one with better grades, and she had a lot more friends than I did. It was clear the she was proffered over me. I didn't want to tell Freddie about her and then have him gush over her and like her better than me. I finally found someone good for me and I didn't want her coming along ruining it.

I was sitting on the couch in the living room, looking at my phone, wondering when I was going to grow the balls to actually call her and tell her about what happened to my mom. Freddie plopped down on the couch next to me. I was dreading this moment, but I knew I had to do it.

"What chu doing?"

"No- nothing," I stuttered. When did I become such a coward? I was always up for anything, I laughed at fear. But that wasn't the case anymore. I took a deep breath before answering his question properly.

"I have to call my twin sister," I said as I looked at him. He gave me a look, one that I can't describe. He seemed shocked, confused, as if I was hiding secrets. But I wasn't.

"Y- you have a sister?"

* * *

**There you go. I really hope you like it guys. I'm gonna try to update as often as I can. But I'm busy with so much homework, I'm surprised I managed to finish this one up.**

**Thank you so much for reading this story. I really am grateful to have such amazing readers. I'm glad you like it. Thanks for getting so many reviews as well. **

**Next chapter, we pretty much get to see Freddie's reaction towards Sam telling him about Melanie. Freddie and Melanie meet and Sam gets a little jeaouls. Melanie won't be around too long. No worries.**

**So review, let me know what you think and I'll see y'all next time.**

**PS. Check out my other story, Summer Vacation.**

**PSS. Check out Selena Gomez's new song A Year Without Rain. I love it so much lol. **

**PSSS (if that's possible.) I don't talk to a lot of you outside of FFnet, except KPfan72491 who is an amazing friend. Follow me on Twitter, talk to me, let's get to know each other better. :)**


	30. Chapter 29: Melanie Puckett

Hey everyone. I am SO SO SOOOO sorry for taking MONTHS to update. Being a full time student pretty much consumed my whole life and it was so hard for me to update. It took me months to write this chapter. I wrote bits of it over time so it's not the best. But I still hope you like it. Melanie is introduced in this chapter and I must say, I love Melanie here haha.

Well… enjoy.

* * *

Sister….

Sister isn't a word I use every day. I don't have one and none of my friends have one either. I only assumed that Sam didn't have a sister because she never mentioned that she had one in the first place. The moment she told me she needed to call her sister, I wanted answers. I wasn't mad at her for never bringing up the topic but I felt an incredible need to know everything I didn't know about her life. I wondered what else she was keeping from me. As horrible as it may sound, I did think that I knew everything there is to know about Sam but I guess I didn't.

I wasn't going to be inconsiderate and greedy and demand for answers. I knew she was hurting. After I spent so much time trying to give her the best birthday she could possibly have, her mother had to drop a bomb on her and just kill herself, leaving Sam alone. The last thing I wanted to do was make the situation about me when it was clearly all about her.

Her head was down and I knew she was having problems putting something that she never told me about into words. Whatever confusion I was feeling was nothing compared to my love and care for Sam. I squeezed her shoulder and pulled her a little closer to me.

"Sam?" I spoke up because there were no words coming out of her mouth.

"Yes… I have a twin sister," she said, not really looking at me. Her eyes seemed to be focusing on the ugly colored walls in my house that my mom thought were so great. I wish I knew how she was feeling.

She stood up and stepped a few steps away from me as she pressed a button on her phone and then placed in against her ear. After a few seconds, she spoke up.

"Mel? I need to talk to you! I don't care if you are with your study group, ditch them for a second so we can talk. Melanie… will you just shut up for one second and let me talk?" I jumped involuntarily at the tone of her voice. She looked furious and her face was a medium shade of pink from her frustration.

"Look Mel, I'm sorry I interrupted your perfect little life," she said sarcastically, making mocking faces at no one.

"I just wanted to let you know that…. ," and with that, she walked into my room and closed the door. I never got to hear what Sam told her sister. I was no eavesdropper so I waited patiently for her in the living room..

I tried to distract myself by watching TV but that was no use. I ended up looking around my living room and staring at all of the picture frames and fake flowers that I see everyday. After what seemed hours, Sam finally came out looking very frustrated.

She plopped down next to me with her arms crossed. She huffed, blowing the ting bangs away from her forehead. I resisted the urge to smile because dare I say, she looked very cute. I pushed that thought aside quickly because this was no time to be smiling. Instead I placed my hand on her shoulder and pulled closer to me until she had no choice but to lean her head on my chest and get comfortable.

"I don't want her to come..," she mumbled so quietly that I could barely hear her.

"What?" I responded in a whisper.

"I don't want her to come," she repeated.

"And why not?" I asked curiously. She obviously wasn't thrilled about seeing her own sister. Maybe that's why she never mentioned her?

"I just don't want to see her, okay? We aren't exactly close," she said as she rolled her eyes.

"What happened? Tell me about her," I requested. She gave me a very angry look and I almost regretted asking her to tell me more about her sister but I really wanted to know why she didn't tell me about her in the first place and why they aren't close.

"Why?"

"Because," I started. "I had no idea that this whole time, you've had a twin sister. I want to know why you didn't say anything about her."

"She's barely in my life so why bother mentioning her?"

We stayed quite for a while. She had a point but it didn't change the fact that I wanted to know. She finally spoke after a few minutes of silence, but not before giving me a long and deep sigh.

"We look identical but we're the farthest thing from alike. She goes to some boarding school in New York and ever since my dad died, she barely visited. Not that I care but the one time I actually need something from her, she bails," she said and shrugged her shoulders.

"We have to pick her up in a few days. She'll text me the details," she finished.

Why did I get the feeling that there are more to the story than just her sister being uninvolved? There had to be more to her being upset. I didn't want to attack her with any more questions so I just grabbed the remote and we spent the rest of the afternoon watching movies.

* * *

My mom had to work on the day that we had to pick up Melanie from the airport. Sam got two weeks off from work with pay to help her cope with the death of her mother. Every day after school, I would spend most of the afternoon and evening with Sam. She didn't really want to see anyone except for me and even with just me around, she didn't really want to talk so we'd spend most of our time holding each other, on my bed, without saying a word to each other. There was no need to speak. The way she held me tightly told me that just having me around was all that she needed.

I decided to drive us to the airport and every few minutes I'd look over at Sam who was obviously nervous. If there's anything I learned about Sam, it was that she usually chews on her fingernails with her two front teeth when she is nervous. She's been doing a lot of that ever since she called her sister. I took her hand and squeezed it lightly.

"Are you okay?" I asked concernedly.

"I guess. I haven't seen her since August. For all I know, she probably shaved her head because it's the newest trend or something," she answered half sarcastically.

"Don't worry. I don't know what's happened between you two but you are sisters. Twin sisters no less. You need each other more than anything."

She shrugged.

I decided to put my complete attention back to the road. I felt for her. She must have been so upset and confused since her sister is probably the only family she has left. She probably doesn't even consider her family anymore since she is away at boarding school. I couldn't imagine how alone she felt.

We arrived at the airport and we walked towards the waiting area where all of the people coming in from New York were going to arrive. I wrapped my arm around Sam's shoulder and held her close. She didn't want to at first but then gave in when she snaked both of her arms around my waist. She hugged me a little too tightly but I didn't mind.

We found two seats and we got comfortable while we waited. Again, we weren't saying much to each other so when she leaned up to give me a kiss on the cheek, I was very surprised. It was slow but sweet. She pulled back slowly only to give me another kiss on the cheek.

"What was that for?"

"Nothing. Just.. Thanks," she said quietly. I grinned and pulled her closer to me, placing my lips on her forehead. I kissed her there and then rested my head on hers.

We waited for a little over an hour when I saw a familiar figure walking towards us. Sam was resting her head on my shoulder and she had her eyes closed. I looked at the girl walking towards us carefully. She was just like Sam. Her hair was blond and curly with thin bangs covering her forehead. She had the same icy blue eyes and the same light skin. But she was different. She was dressed in pink, her hair was in a high ponytail, she was carrying a purse along with her luggage, and had a lot of eye make up on. They were so alike, but yet so different. She was all girlie. I nudged Sam a little. Apparently, she fell asleep.

By the time she up and stretching her legs and arms, she was face to face with Melanie. Her eyes were a little red, probably from crying. She quickly embraced Sam in a tight hug, letting more tears run from her eyes, leaving black streaks on her cheeks. She was definitely a lot more emotional than Sam. Sam has done her fair share of crying but she only cried once when we found her mom, once when I saw her getting beat up at her house, and once after Mindy and her friends ganged up on her. Melanie looked like she was crying all week. She seemed like the girl who would cry non stop. Sam always kept her cool.

"Hey Mel," said Sam awkwardly as she patted her back to calm her down. "How did you manage to convince your monster of a principle to let you out of school?"

Melanie pulled back and wiped the tears and black traces from her cheeks. After taking a deep breath, she answered.

"I guess we do have a few things in common Sam. When they refused to let me out of school, I cussed out the principle for not letting me go. I told him that he was heartless for not letting me go to my dad's funeral and that he couldn't do this to me. He kept me away from my dad's but he wasn't going to keep me away from my mom's funeral."

Sam chuckled a little bit. It was the first time since her birthday that she actually did something remotely close to laughing.

"Wow Mel, I didn't think you had it in you."

"I didn't think you had all of this in you," she said, looking at Sam up and down. Normally, that would be a bad thing but Melanie had a small smile on her face. Almost as if she was proud?

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, when we talked on the phone the other day. You told me about your job and your grades. I left for boarding school with you hurting kids for no reason and you didn't care about school. This is such a transformation for you. It's very inspirational," she responded with a bigger smile. Sam rolled her eyes like it wasn't much of a big deal. But we both know that it really was a big deal. She grabbed my hand and squeezed it a little. It was her way of saying thanks to me, without getting sensitive in front of her sister.

"Um, Melanie, this is Freddie."

I lifted my free hand and used it to shake Melanie's hand. Despite the fact that they are identical, Melanie had a different look. She had a very flirtatious look. I don't know if it was towards me personally or if that's the way she is. I felt a little uncomfortable but I wanted to get along with her. She's my girlfriend's sister, of course.

"Ah, so this is your boyfriend. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy you go for. What happened to Doug?"

Sam wasn't happy about Melanie's visit to begin with. I don't think that mentioning Doug was the best idea for Melanie. Sam's cheeks were becoming red with anger.

"Don't ever mention him again," she said as she let go of my hand and grabbed one of Melanie's bags. She began to walk away, towards the car I guess.

"Um, what's her problem?" asked Melanie in confusion.

"She's been through a lot," was all I said in response. I grabbed the other bag, leaving her to carry only her purse.

"Let's go, we can talk in the car," I gave her a small smile and we walked back to the car together, neither of us saying a word.

* * *

Later that evening, my mom decided to cook a big dinner, with my help of course. We had potato salad, rice, beans, meatloaf, and vegetables. We invited Carly and Spencer over but sadly, Spencer had a date with Vanessa. Carly was going to spend the evening watching movies with Shane in her apartment but she decided to bring him over for dinner which I was thankful for. I know Sam didn't want to talk to a lot of people but I wanted her to start interacting with Carly again.

We placed our food on our plates, poured our drinks on our cups and sat down around the table. It was very awkward at first, nobody wanted to break the silence and say the first word. Everyone knew how tough it is to talk to someone in these situations. It was easier for me to console and comfort Sam because we both had to deal with what happened to our dads. Maybe that's why I was the only one she really wanted to talk to. She only talked to my mom when she needed to and her and Carly didn't spend a lot of time together anymore, and Carly understood. I was actually very proud of Sam for staying so strong even though I was the only one who knew that it was killing her inside. Not having anyone anymore, no friends in school, and no family to come home to.

I heard a forced cough coming from my mom, indicating that she was the one who was going to say the first words. I was relieved because I was never good at handling awkward situations.

"Well, enjoy," was all that came out of her mouth. I guess she couldn't handle awkward situations either. It must run in the family.

After a few mote minutes of awkward silence as we ate, my mom finally spoke up again.

"Melanie, so what school do you go to?"

"I attend New York Academy Boarding School," she answered politely (A/N: Made up school).

"Oh, and what's that like?" asked my mom. Everyone's eyes were glued to Melanie, including Sam. I guess the news of Sam having a twin sister was big on everyone so we were all curious.

"Honestly, I love it there. It's given me a great opportunity to explore a place outside of Washington. New York is such a beautiful place and even though I am grateful for this blessing, I do miss home a lot. I'm glad I'm here," she said with a smile. It wasn't a completely happy smile. She seemed sad and her eyes were beginning to water again but this time, she held them back.

I took a good look at Sam as soon as Melanie was done speaking. She rolled her eyes and shook her head as she faked a laughed. Before anyone could say anything, she opened her mouth.

"Yeah right…," she said as she continued to laugh sarcastically.

"What do you mean, Sam?" asked Melanie. She looked confused.

"Oh, I'm sorry, let me rephrase that. You are such a liar," she said loudly before she stood up and ran to my room, slamming the door rather loudly that it startled everyone. There was not a wide eye in the room. Everyone looked shocked, even Melanie. I excused myself so I could talk to her.

Just as I was about to open door to my bedroom, I felt someone's hand on my shoulder. I turned and saw Melanie, looking very worried.

"I think I should talk to her," she said softly. I wanted to let them be alone and talk things through but I didn't want to leave Sam alone.

"Okay but I'm going to be in there. She's been through a lot more than you know."

She nodded and I opened the door. When we walked in, Sam was sitting on my bed, staring at nothing. She seemed to be deep in thought.

"Sam?" Melanie said quietly as she sat next to Sam.

"Hm… what do you want?" asked Sam, without turning to look at her back. I stood by the door, letting them have their talk.

"Why are you being so cold to me? What did I do to you?" asked Melanie.

"Nothing… I just don't want to talk to anyone, okay? So just go away," she responded, quietly. I expected her to be a little louder since she has a history of aggression but I guess not.

"I give up," she sighed and threw her hands up in defeat. "I am never going to know why you hate me so much."

With that, she walked out of the room with a look of devastation on her face. When Melanie closed the door, I walked up to Sam and sat next to her. I placed my arm around her but she quickly stood, completely avoiding my embrace.

I looked at her weirdly as she slowly made her way towards the door.

"Sam, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

She opened the door before, her back still facing me.

"I don't want to talk to you either…," she mumbled and then slammed the door shut.

I stared at the door for a while, trying to figure out what was wrong with Sam. Obviously she didn't want to see or talk to me so I didn't go after her. Something was obviously bothering her to an extreme level but I couldn't figure out why. If it had anything to do with Melanie, I wouldn't have a clue. I sighed in defeat and decided to crash on my bed, not bothering to say goodnight to anyone.

* * *

I woke up around midnight, feeling incredibly thirsty. I got out of bed only to realize that I didn't change into my shorts and t shirt. My entire body was tense. I changed into something a little more comfortable and I stepped out to get a bottle of water which was the only thing on my mind.

I stepped into the living room to find Melanie sitting on the couch, surfing through the hundreds of channels that my mom pays about fifty dollars a month for. I never understood cable sometimes. Hundreds of channels and yet there is nothing good to watch.

I walked into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and then I approached Melanie. I didn't understand why she was in the living room. I was too sleepy to notice that she had a blanket covering her legs. I sat down next to her and took a big gulp of water.

"I thought you had the guest room," I asked her. My voice was very groggy.

"Well, Sam locked herself in there and there really is no arguing with her," she said with a shrug to her shoulders.

I nodded in agreement, but with a smile on my face. That's Sam for you.

"So… do you have any clue as to why she seems so upset?" I asked her.

"I have no idea. I stopped questioning her hate towards me years ago," she answered. She looked a little sad. I could tell by the way her head was down.

"What do you mean?"

"We don't exactly get along. We are so different that sometimes our personalities clash. I actually thought she was going to be excited to see me this time because she's been calling me a lot these past few months to see if I would visit home any time soon. I guess not."

"Wait, she's been calling you to see if you would visit?"

She nodded. I was still confused as to why Sam was mad at me but I kind of understood why Sam would call Melanie, asking her if she would visit.

"I don't know if I should tell you, but Sam has been through a lot. There was a lot of tension between her and your mom since your dad passed away," I said.

"There's always been tension between Sam and my mom. That's not new," she said as she rolled her eyes.

"No, that's not what I mean. I don't think Sam is going to tell you any time soon so I will. Maybe you will understand a little bit," I said as I turned to her.

"Understand what?"

"After your dad passed away, your mom sort of blamed Sam for it. It got to the point where she would hit Sam so bad that she was afraid of going home. Your mom wasn't stable. She started… er… prostituting but she wouldn't give Sam an money so she had to get a job. She was so depressed that she took an overdoze… and well, you know the rest."

It was extremely difficult having to tell Melanie about Sam getting hurt. I wanted to forget it, completely erase it from my mind but it was unavoidable.

Melanie looked dumbfounded. She was speechless. Her eyes were getting watery again. I understood her pain but I couldn't handle another cry from Melanie. I mentally kicked myself for thinking so rudely and I placed my arm on her back. I patted it, trying to comfort her.

"I wish I had known sooner. That's why she wanted me to visit. She wanted me to help her but I was so damn caught up with my boyfriend that I didn't bother to look beyond Sam's anger," she said as she sobbed quietly.

"It's okay. I didn't know either until I witnessed it myself."

We were quiet for a bit. I could tell she wanted to be alone so I gave her a hug goodnight and I walked back to my room.

* * *

The day of Sam's mom's funeral finally arrived. Sam didn't want to speak to me, let alone be around me. I was desperate. Ever since Melanie arrived, she became distant. She didn't want to talk to anyone. I knew she was upset but she always counted on me to be with her. This time, she didn't want to be anywhere near me and it was killing me inside. I understood if she was mad at her sister because she didn't visit her enough but what did I do?

We all gathered around and watched as Sam's mom's coffin was lowered into the ground. Sam didn't want anyone to make speeches. She wanted to get it over and done with. I guess the less she had to see it, the less she would be hurt by it. We all threw flowers onto the coffin as it was being buried.

Sam threw a red rose and then walked away. She was walking towards a very familiar looking tree. It was the same tree she was hiding behind when I first saw her during my dad's funeral. I almost forgot what the cemetery meant to us. It all started here. This is where we met, where I shared my snacks with her, and many other memories I will always cherish.

I couldn't just let her ignore me. I wanted to give her space but I didn't want things to get awkward between us. So decided to approach her. She was sitting on the grass. Even in complete misery, she looks absolutely stunning. Her hair was swaying with the breeze.

I sat down next to her and waited for her to leave. When she didn't, I placed my arm around her and pulled her closer to me. Her head was on my chest.

"Are you okay?" I asked her in a whisper.

"Yeah…," she replied just as quietly.

Maybe she wasn't mad at me. Maybe she just needed to be alone and it was all in my head. I did nothing wrong and I was probably paranoid.

I was so happy that she was speaking to me again and I leaned in and kissed her forehead lightly. It felt good to have her in my arms again, to brush my lips against her soft skin again. Nothing compares to that feeling.

But…

She suddenly tensed up and pulled away quickly. She stood up and looked at me with a mortified look on her face. Before I could stand up and ask her what was wrong, she ran off without saying a word.

What did I do wrong?

Later that evening, everyone decided to come back to my house to talk and to comfort both Sam and Melanie. Sam didn't speak to me after she ran from me. I tried to approach her but she's go off somewhere else before I could even say anything to her.

I didn't want to be miserable all day so I approached Melanie. I was too caught up in thinking about Sam that I forgot about how Melanie was feeling as well.

She was in the kitchen, drinking soda by herself. I grabbed a can of grape soda and sat across from her.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" I asked concernedly.

"I'm feeling a lot better, thanks. I spent a lot of time thinking today," she said with a small smile. This was the first time I saw a true smile on her. It was different. Her and Sam are identical yet they are so different, even when it comes to their smiles.

"About what?" I asked. I was truly concerned about her. In the few days that I've known her, I grew to love her in a sisterly way. I didn't want to shun her just because Sam was angry with her. What if Sam and I were to get married in the future? Melanie would be my only in-law. I wanted to get close to Sam's family just as she has gotten close to my mom.

"I've spent so much time making my boarding school life the center of my world. I barely stayed in touch with my family. I decided that I'm going to visit more often and try to build a healthy relationship with Sam. She's all I have now and I don't want to loose the only family I have."

Words can't describe how happy I was with every word Melanie said. I think it's a good thing for them to start fresh.

"Wow, Melanie, that's great. I wish you both the best of luck."

She smiled and held her can of soda towards me, indicating that we should tap them together. We spent the rest of the afternoon talking and getting to know each other better.

That evening, I had to drop off Melanie at the airport. She couldn't stay longer because she had finals to study for. The final exams at her school are a lot harder than those in regular school so I understood why she had to leave early. Sam tagged along but she stayed quiet the entire drive to the airport. She barely spoke to Melanie, I was afraid of what was going to happen between them.

It was time for Melanie to head to her terminal. Her eyes were watering again. She turned to me and gave me a big hug.

"Freddie, it was such a pleasure to meet you," she said through sniffles. "Please take care of my sister."

"No worries. Take care of yourself, Melanie."

When she let go of me, she stood in front of Sam. I felt as if time had stopped and I was becoming anxious for them to speak. Were they even going to speak to each other at all? After what seemed like ten long and slow minutes, Melanie embraced Sam in a tight hug. Sam didn't respond at first but she eventually wrapped her arms around her as well.

When they let go of each other, Melanie put her hands on Sam's shoulders.

"Sam, I know we have had our differences but you're my sister and I love you. I promise to be in your life more. I'm sorry for everything," she cried.

"I'll see you soon then?" asked Sam in a hopeful tone.

"Most definitely," said Melanie with a big smile on her face.

They hugged one more time before Melanie picked up her bags and walk away.

Sam and I walked back to the car, neither of us saying a word to each other.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up a little bit earlier. I wanted to speak to Sam and clear up whatever tension there was between us.

I didn't bother knocking on the door. I knew it was unlocked. I opened the door slowly and quietly. Sam was in front of the mirror looking at herself. Her beauty never failed to amaze me and blow me away.

I walked up behind her and I wrapped my arms around her stomach. I was glad she didn't resist this time. I couldn't bare to see her run away from me again.

"Are you still mad at me?" I asked her. She sighed deeply.

"I was never mad, to be honest with you," she confessed.

"Wait, I'm confused. So why were you avoiding me?"

"Do I have to say it?"

She grabbed my hands and unwrapped them from her waist. She walked over to the bed and laid down, her back facing me. I laid down on the best next to her and my arms went back to her waist.

"I want to know why you've been avoiding me," I whispered quietly in her ear. "What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing okay? You did nothing," she said in an annoyed tone.

"Then why are you not speaking to me? Please talk to me!"

I was embarrassed that I went as low as to begging but I was desperate for answers. I needed to know why she was being so distant.

"I'm only going to say this once because it's embarrassing. Melanie is everything I'm not. Ever since we were kids, everyone liked her better. She was always the girlie one, the pretty one, the popular one, the smart one, the nice one, and I was just the crazy one that no one liked," she said all in one breath.

"What does that have to do with you avoiding me?"

"I'm getting to that," she said defensively. "I didn't want Melanie to come because I was… I was… a-a-fraid that you would like her better than me. Then everything would have been a lie. I figured that I would just let you go before you would let go of me."

I had no idea that Sam was under Melanie's shadow this whole time. She's been hurt so much in the past that she thought I would hurt her as well. She wanted to hurt me before I could hurt her. It all made sense now.

But my heart broke when she said everything to me. Sure, both sisters are different but Sam is the one I fell in love with. I would never leave her for someone that I met for a few days.

"Sam, I love you. I love you and I always will," I said as I held her tighter.

"Yeah right," she pulled away from me a little bit. "I saw you getting closer to her."

"Sam, I wanted to get to know my girlfriend's sister. I want to know your family and she is all you have now. She really does care about you, you know? But no matter what happens, you're the one I am in love with. I would never leave you for someone else. You've been there during my darkest moments and I am not ready to give you up so easily."

Sam turned around so that we were facing each other. Her arms were around my waist as well. Nothing felt more welcoming than having her in my arms again, without her running away.

"Now you're making me feel dumb for thinking you'd leave me," she said shamefully.

"Don't. I understand," I said to her quietly.

"I love you," she whispered.

I leaned in and captured her lips with mine in a long, soft, and passionate kiss.

* * *

Okay, there you go. What did you think? Not my best work but I hope you like it either way.I know it was a bit rushed.

I really hope I can update A LOT sooner.

In the next chapter, the subject of PROM pops up. Who will go with who? We'll find out soon enough. Until next time.


	31. Chapter 30: Prom Preparations

**Yay. I am so happy that you guys haven't forgotten me. I spent so much time away from this story that I kind of forgot how good it feels to write and then read amazing reviews from my readers. As cheesy as it may sound, you guys really do motivate me with your kinds words. I really hope you enjoy this chapter. It's al about prom and the planning that comes before it. **

**I didn't really enjoy my prom. It wasn't a big deal to me. I didn't buy a new dress, I didn't get my hair, my nails, or my make up done. My prom date was younger than me and I asked him to go lol. My friends took their boyfriends so they were all making out with them while me and my date just stood there feeling awkward. All in all, it was a fun night despite everything haha.**

**Everyone in this chapter is going to go all out with prom preparations. I hope you enjoy it. :)**

* * *

The hallways in my school were a lot more crowded than normal. Almost every senior was in line, money in their hands as they eagerly waited to get to the front. I'm not very involved in school and I've pretty much become my school's wallflower. I just came to school, did my business, and leave. I was just glad that graduation was that much closer so I could walk away and never look back.

But despite the fact that I didn't care about my school, I still wanted to know what was going on. I walked around the line when I noticed a small poster on one of the bulletin boards. It was about prom. Tickets were available all week but I guess all of my classmates wanted to get them on the first day.

Pathetic.

What is so special about spending hundreds of dollars on just one night of dancing? But yet, I couldn't tear my eyes away from that poster. How did I not know about this? I must have missed the announcements during homeroom when I fell asleep on my desk. I must not have paid attention to the bulletin boards.

These kind of events never caught my attention. I just could not understand why I was so intrigued by that poster though. I was never into the whole dancing thing, especially when couples are on the floor like a bunch of animals. They might as well be screwing on the dance floor because that's pretty much what their dance represents.

I watched the people that were waiting in line. A lot of them were couples. One particular couple caught my eye. The girl looked so excited. Her boyfriend has holding her waist from behind before she spun around and jumped with excitement as if she was a kid again. She hugged him tightly and he hugged her back. They were both clearly excited. And then I realized why I was so interested in prom all of a sudden. Freddie.

I've never been to a dance, let alone with a guy. I never understood these couples until Freddie came into my life. Maybe spending a lot of money to have a special night full of fun with Freddie wouldn't be so bad. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to actually have a good memory of my four years in high school. I definitely wouldn't want to look back at my high school career and only have memories of my fights with Mindy, my doodles on the school's desks, the F's on my report card, and other shit that I wanted to forget.

I walked away from the crowded hallway and went to the cafeteria to get my lunch. I was so damn hungry and that poster distracted me for too long. Stupid prom.

* * *

After school, I headed straight to Freddie's place. I was happy I didn't have work. Don't get me wrong, I hate working but I love my job. I've become quite a smoothie expert if I do say so myself, but I was glad that I finally had a day where I could rest my feet.

After the break that T-bo made me take from work so I could deal with my mom's death, I was back to work and I had to work hard to the point where I was so sore, I had trouble walking.

I was thinking about the whole prom deal all day. I had mixed feelings about it. I wanted to go but I didn't want to go to my school's dance. I didn't want to deal with the stress of finding a dress, looking perfect, and just look like something I'm not. But then again, I already agreed to being one of Spencer's bridesmaid. I also didn't want to assume that Freddie wanted to go either.

I guess there's only one solution: talking about it.

There's a lot of things I like about my relationship with Freddie. I could talk things through with him and he would understand completely. We don't agree on everything but we don't argue about or differences. It feels nice to have someone that doesn't judge me and accepts me for who I am because I grew tired of my life being nothing but feeling anger towards the world.

Freddie is more than I could ask for in a guy. Even after meeting Melanie, he still wanted me in the end. Even after being a complete bitch and pushing him out of my life, he didn't give up on me. He made an effort to try and work things out between us.

When Melanie came to Seattle from New York for my mom's funeral, I knew that my life would go back to the way it used to be. Everyone was going to praise Melanie for sense of style, her academic achievements, and proper manners. I knew Freddie wouldn't want to be with me after taking one look at my sister.

So why not hurt him before he could hurt me first? Boy was I wrong.

I thought that the nice, sweet, caring, and gentle male species was extinct but Freddie showed me that he really does love me. I felt like the biggest idiot the night he said he wouldn't leave me like I expected him to. I guess I doubted our relationship for second but it was hard to have faith in it when Melanie told me she was coming over. She was always better than me and I expected everyone to be rainbows and smiles around her and completely feel turned off by the fact that my language isn't always clean, nor my hair but that didn't matter to anyone. It sure didn't matter to Freddie and that's why it is so easy for me to share my feelings to him.

He is just so goddamn perfect.

I finally arrived at Freddie's house. I tried calling it my house but it was too weird. I wasn't going to be there for too long so why would I call it my own? I was just staying there because I had no one else to stay with. But even though I felt awkward calling it my own, it still felt a lot more like home than the house I was living in for 18 years.

The living room was empty so that meant that Mrs. Benson was working. I was somewhat glad because living here didn't give Freddie and I a lot of alone time. I knew that he was in his room so I threw my bag pack and jacket on the couch and I walked over to Freddie's room.

Just as I thought, he was in his room, on his computer. I wanted to be playful and sneak up on him but I was way too tired to even try. I opened the door and threw myself onto his bed, loving the softness of it. That's what I love about Freddie's bed. It's so comfortable.

He turned his attention from his computer to me and he immediately turned it off and walked my way. He laid down next me. I was on my back and he was on his side, facing me, with his hand supporting his head.

"Hey Sam, how was your day?"

"The usual; boring as hell. But I'm tired and my feet are killing me," I admitted.

"Aw, do you want a foot rub?" he asked me as if he was talking to a baby. If he wasn't my boyfriend, he would have gotten a slap for that. That foot rub was actually quite tempting.

"If you insist," I said, playing it off.

He untied my shoelaces and slid the shoes from my feet. He began to apply pressure on my feet and I almost fell asleep immediately. It felt so good.

"If we weren't alone, my mom would think we were doing something else," he said. I didn't even realize I was moaning.

"Shut up," I said, playfully and kicking my foot so that I would hit his chin.

Before I knew it, he was trying to start a tickle fight with me. Maybe there are a few things Freddie doesn't know about me. I hate being tickled with a fiery burning passion. I hate it more than I hate vegetables. When we were kids, Melanie tried to tickle me and she ended up with a bloody nose. It wasn't on purpose. It was just a reflex.

Obviously I didn't want to hurt him so after a few seconds of forced laughter, I lifted my head up and I kissed him. He immediately stopped a pushed me back onto the bed softly. He probably wanted it to go a little further but it was strictly a battle move. I pulled back quickly and he tried to resume but I placed my hand between our lips.

"Aw come on," he pleaded.

"Nope," I said, laughing.

"Evil," he replied but I knew he wasn't mad. He wrapped his arms around me and I placed my head on his chest, like we always do. It was silent between us and all I could hear was his heartbeat. Every time we were in this position, his heart beat accelerated. I love that I have that affect on him and he had the same affect on me.

"You know," he said softly as he began playing with my hair, "I've been thinking about something."

I secretly wanted him to mention Prom so I wouldn't be the one to start the conversation. But my only reply was…

"Hm, what is it?"

"I passed by the fire escape when I was throwing away the trash. I just realized that I haven't been there in months and I was kind of hoping that you'd want to go to the fire escape with me."

Oh lord, only Freddie could turn me into a ball of mush and sensitivity. The fire escape brought me so many memories. Seeing Doug again after everything was finally turning out good in my life and his pathetic attempt to win me over. I remember walking to the fire escape and my heart pounding hard against my chest with every step I took. And I finally remember Freddie and I talking about what we felt for each other. No one brings out this side of me but Freddie.

I nodded and we made our way to the fire escape. I didn't bother to put my shoes on. It felt good to have them off my feet.

The fire escape was exactly how I remembered it to be. I felt like I haven't been there in years when it's only been a few short months. We sat on the chair and h held me just how he did the last time we were here together. Something about this place seemed beautiful to me, despite that we were surrounded by dirty walls and some people like take a peek from their windows. The only thing I could hear was the traffic.

I was convinced more and more that I wanted to go to this dance with Freddie. But how do I ask him?

"What are you thinking about?" I heard him asking me softly. Whenever we're alone, it always feels like it's best for us to speak quietly. Something about the atmosphere whenever we're together just makes it feel right to speak that way. Here goes nothing.

"I just realized that I never pay attention to school events. Everyone was in line today for prom…"

"Yours in coming up too? Carly has been going crazy about it at school."

"Really?" I asked as I raised my head to get a better view of Freddie. "Is she going with Shane?"

"Yup," he nodded. "I as actually going to ask you to my prom but I don't know if you'd be up for it."

Like I said before, only Freddie could make me feel this way. Something inside of me made me feel warm and fuzzy inside but I didn't want to look like a complete idiot so I kept my cool.

"I've been thinking about it all day. I'm not the kind of girl to get excited over dances but something about Prom caught my attention. I don't know if you're up for it," I said, trying to give little subtle hints to Freddie that I want him to ask me to his prom.

I felt like such a girl but I couldn't help it this time.

"So… do you want to go with me to my prom? Tickets will be on sale all week," he said with a big smile on his face. It seemed as if he wanted to go as well but was insecure about asking me. I probably gave him reasons not to because I seem kind of anti social when it comes to school related events.

But the girlie girl inside of me was screaming for joy.

"Sure," I said and I laid back down on the chair next to him.

"Carly is going dress shopping and all of that stuff girls do for prom this weekend. You could go with her," he suggested.

"Yeah. Knowing me, I'd probably end up looking like a clown."

* * *

That weekend, I had to get up at six in the morning against my will. Carly wanted to get everything planned out in one day so we wouldn't have to stress at the last minute. Freddie bought out tickets the day after we talked about it so that was taken care of. We just had to take care of… everything else.

I wanted Freddie to come along but he said he was going to go tuxedo hunting with Shane and he was going to pick out my corsage as well. I guess a day out with Carly wouldn't seem so bad. I couldn't remember the last time I hung out with her.

"Okay, we should get the easy stuff out of the way. We need to book nail, hair, and make up appointments," said Carly as we walked through the mall and into the beauty salon. This was honestly my first time walking into one of these places. It was all a blur to me. I didn't even know what I wanted my hair to be like or my nails. After we booked our appointments, we headed over to Starbucks.

"Why are we going to Starbucks?"

"They have free wifi and we need to find good deals on limos."

"Why do we need limos? Why can't we just have Freddie's mom take us or something?" I asked her once we found a seat. She took out her laptop from her large purse and turned it on. I didn't even know she brought a laptop with her.

"We need to arrive in style. Senior prom, just like most sweet sixteen's, are a once in a lifetime opportunity and we need to make the most of it," she said over excitedly.

"Eh, well keep in mind that I don't have a lot saved up from work. I'm pretty much emptying my wallet here," I warned her. I had around a thousand dollars saved up from working at the Groovy Smoothie. I didn't want to spend it all on just the prom. There better be good food there.

"Don't worry, we'll find a good deal. Besides, I've been saving up for this day since freshman year. I have about two thousand saved up," she said as she looked for some reliable websites with good deals.

"Wow, freshman year. This must be a big deal for you," I raised my eyebrows. She turned so that she was facing me and her focus was no longer on the screen.

"My mom passed away when I was six," she said in a serious tone.

"Oh, wow, sorry about that."

"It's okay. My mom told me about her prom when I was a kid. I still remember, it's still a vivid story in my mind. My dad asked her to the prom. They weren't dating at the time but after the dance, they realized how much they connected and they dated for a year after high school before they got married. Ever since I was little, I wanted my senior prom to be perfect. To have the perfect limo, the perfect dress, and the perfect date. And this dream is coming true in just one week."

Her eyes were getting watery but I could tell she was trying to stay strong. Carly never talks about her family other than Spencer. I had no idea that her mother was dead. And I finally understood why prom was such a big deal for her.

"Gee, Carly. I'm really sorry about that. This is going to be a good prom so don't stress okay?"

"I won't. I'm going with Shane," she smiled.

"So you like him?"

"I like him so much, you have no idea. We're not boyfriend and girlfriend yet. I think I want to wait until I feel like I'm close enough with him to start a relationship. I don't want what happened with Griffin to happen a second time."

"Don't worry, I'm sure he feels the same way," I assured her with a pat on her back.

"Thanks Sam. By the way, how to do feel about booking a hotel room for the night? It could be a two bedroom," she said. Way to change the subject.

"Um, why would we rent a hotel room?" I was confused.

"Well, it's boring to just go home after prom. We should book a room and then go home the next day. What do you think?"

"But what are we going to do?"

"Well, I don't drink so we're not even going there. Maybe a relaxing movie night. We could pull an all nighter."

"Okay," I sighed.

Carly was fast. She found a great deal on a limo and she booked a two room hotel room at a really nice hotel just a few blocks away from where the Ridgeway prom was going to be held. After we were done, Carly lead me to Target, of all places.

"What are we doing at Target?" I asked her. I was expecting to go to fancy places for all of this planning.

"Better safe than sorry right?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we're booking a hotel room and you never know what is going to happen so we are getting some condoms."

Ugh, the subject of sex came up again. Freddie and I only had sex once and that was when he came back after his trip to California. We only talked about it once and the subject never came up. I was secretly becoming anxious because now, I was expecting us to have sex again. I was just expecting all of us to go to prom, eat, dance, and go home. That's it.

"Uh, oh, okay," I responded. Carly bought them all and gave me a few. I didn't want to choose.

After buying the condoms, we went to the flower shop. We weren't even halfway done and I was already exhausted.

"Okay, we have to get the guys' boutonnieres and then find our dresses and shoes," she said in that excited tone again.

After we left the flower shop, we headed straight to a store that specializes in prom dresses. Freddie and I decided that we wanted to wear purple to the dance. The color is not too girlie but not too tomboy like for me. There were so many dresses to choose from. Some were really long, others really short. Some were too revealing and others covered up too much.

I was beginning to get a headache from going through so many dresses. I was questioning why I wanted to go to this damn dance so bad. Luckily, I like Carly so I can tolerate her, even in this stressful event. She seemed so excited, as if she was in a fairytale and hundreds of flower petals were falling on her while she spun around in happiness. It was actually pretty contagious so I didn't let my frustration get to her.

After what seemed like a million dresses, I finally found something that I liked. It was a light purple dress that stopped at my knees. It was tight on the torso area but a little puffy towards the bottom. The dress came with a necklace and some bracelets that matched the dress nicely. I felt so girlie but so pretty at the same time. The same way I felt when I was trying on my bridesmaid dress.

"You look beautiful," said Carly as she sneaked up form behind me.

She was wearing a light pink dress, only that hers was tighter and it had two cuts on the sides that showed a little bit of her stomach. It was tied behind the neck so her bare back was showing. I could never pull off anything like that but she looks gorgeous.

"Wow, so do you."

"I think we found our dresses," she smiled. "Now to find our shoes. Those aren't hard to find. We might end up taking them off halfway through the dance."

Carly found some really high heels for us. They were exactly the same. White with straps and a bow on the front of the strap. She said that the white heels match well with the light colors of our dresses. When we finally paid for our dresses, it was time to go home. Thank God.

Though it seemed like we didn't do much. We spent the entire day at the mall, preparing for the prom. I didn't think that one day could cause such stress but I was glad that the planning was over and done with. We didn't even stop for a lunch break and my stomach was growling so hard, you could hear it from a mile away. Carly treated me to some Subway as a reward for being so patient with her. I can't say no to food.

We were finally done and ready to go home. I was exhausted beyond belief and I as excited to go back to Freddie's to sleep for the next twenty four hours.

* * *

Carly and I said our goodbyes and I walked into the Benson house. Freddie was on the couch, watching a movie with a bowl of popcorn on his lap. He looked so relaxed. When he noticed me walking in, he patted the spot next to him, indicating that I should sit next to him. I was so tired that I took the bowl of popcorn and I laid my head on his lap. I popped a few pieced into my mouth as I relaxed my body after an entire day of being on my feet.

"So how did it go?" asked Freddie as he played with my hair. I didn't say anything to him, but I love the feeling of his fingers in my hair. It relaxes me so much.

"Terrible," I groaned in pain. "It was the longest day of my life. But, Carly is a cool chick so I didn't mind."

"I'm glad. I bet it was stressful. Carly told me all about the things a girl has to plan in order to prepare for this. All I did was order some flowers and rent a tuxedo. We have it easy," he poked fun of me.

"Well you won't be laughing when you see me walk down those stairs," I retaliated.

"I can't wait," he said and pecked my forehead before we put our attention to the movie.

Not too long after, I was drifting to sleep.

I was ready for prom.

* * *

**Okay, okay, those this wasn't one of my longer chapters but I kind of wanted to get this whole prom preparations delio out of the way. I am even more excited to write the prom chapter. I have it all planned out. It's going to be very sweet. So I apologize for rushing this chapter. I guess you can call it a filler. But hey, it's an update and I plan on making frequent updates before school starts in about 2 weeks.**

**So I wanted to say that this story is coming to an end very soon. I predict four or five more chapters until I am done. After the prom, the story will focus on graduation, then Spencer's wedding, and finally Sam and Freddie leaving Seattle. I realized a day after my last update that I have been working on this story for over a year. Time sure seems to fly by, eh?**

**I have a short Seddie story in the works and I hope you guys read it and enjoy it as much as this story.**

**Anyways, please let me know what you think. Please and thank you. I hope you all have a great rest of the week. J**


	32. Chapter 31: The Prom

**Hello readers. Thanks for your reviews. I don't think I've ever mentioned this before but I enjoy replying to your reviews. Sometimes I get too into it that I end up sending some of you really long replies about the story.**

**I wanted to share a fun fact. One of my favorite things about YLYW is that I alternate between Sam and Freddie's point of view in each chapter. I actually got that idea from a book I read when I was younger. Have you guys read Flipped? It's a really cute book in my opinion. I have to watch the movie soon.**

**This chapter is pretty much focused on the day before prom, the day of prom, and after prom in the hotel room. I think you guys might like the ending to this chapter…**

**Although this chapter is about the prom, it's not the center of this chapter. There are some major Seddie scenes as well as some character development between Carly and Shane.**

**Well, enjoy. **

* * *

I closed my locker after putting away some math books. I leaned back against my locker and took a deep breath, suddenly feeling relaxed. It was lunch time and I as so glad that my advanced math class was over. I'm really good at math but it could be tedious sometimes.

I noticed Gibby walking towards me. For some reason, I felt like I haven't spoken to Gibby in months even though I see him every day. We haven't been able to hang out a lot during lunch because I've been busy with AV club meetings as well as studying hard for finals. I know finals won't take place until June, but being in all advanced classes required me to study long before time.

And aside from that, I've been spending most of my free time with Sam. She was still hurt about loosing both of her parents even though she said she was fine. I was still hurting over my dad's accident so I could only imagine how she was feeling.

But I decided to give myself a break and actually eat at the lunch tables instead of eating in a classroom while studying.

"Hey Freddie." Gibby was in a very good.

"Hi, Gibby. Are you excited for prom?" I asked him.

"You know it." He smiled. "I'm going to chill with the gang. Who said you need a date to enjoy a dance?"

"True." I smiled. Gibby is so optimistic, it's admirable.

"Mmhm."

"Wait a minute. What happened to that girl you liked? You didn't ask her to the dance?"

"I did but she said no. It sucks being rejected but I refuse to mope around." He shook his head. Again, very admirable.

"Well that's good, Gibby."

We were about to leave the hall so we could have our lunch when I saw Carly walking towards us. I always enjoyed having Carly's locker close to mine. When I thought I was in love with her, I always found reasons to try and speak to her but now it's nice to have just a best friend nearby to talk to in between classes during school. She looked incredibly nervous.

"Hi, Carly. Are you okay?" I asked as I took the big pile of books from her hands and helped her put them in her locker.

"I'm fine. I'm just a little nervous for tomorrow is all."

"Don't worry Carly." I said, trying to calm her down. "Your hard work will pay off. This will be the best night of your life."

"I sure hope so." Carly looked around. Something must had caught her eye.

Wendy was walking by us but she didn't say anything. I didn't really notice how I haven't seen or spoken to Wendy in a long time. She's supposed to be Carly's best friend.

"Hey Wendy, do you want to hang out after school?"

"I uh… I can't. Sorry." Wendy sounded nervous as well. She walked away pretty quickly, leaving Carly looking extremely sad.

"She's been distant for weeks. I don't get it," she said as she leaned back against her locker.

"But you guys are best friends. When did this start happening," I asked.

"Around the same time Shane and I started hanging out. You don't think she's jealous right? I don't want her to feel left out."

"Just talk to her," I said.

"I will but after prom. I am stressed out enough as it is," she said, rubbing her temples with her fingers.

"Let's go to lunch," I said as I rubbed her shoulders for support. She smiled and nodded and the three of us walked to the cafeteria to have lunch and ease off some of the stress building up.

* * *

I never considered myself to be one of those guys, who asks out a pretty girl to a dance and has one of the best nights of his entire life. Being the so called nerd of Ridgeway kind of just left me with that expectation of myself. But there I was, standing in front of a mirror, trying to fix my tie.

My mom was going crazy, trying to tell me how I should have dressed for the evening. That a deep blue tie was more masculine, instead of the light purple one I was wearing. But Sam and I decided on purple because it's not too manly but not too girlie and I agreed. My mom also wanted me to whip out the hair gel and slick my hair back but I called the shots this time.

I was wearing a black tuxedo with a white dress shirt under and a light purple tie. Instead of keeping my hair up like I usually do, I decided to leave it down and let it cover my forehead. My hair isn't long so it didn't look like a shaggy style but it still looked pretty cool in my opinion.

"Hey mom, stop it. I look fine." My mom had her hands in my hair and I noticed a small bottle of hair gel in her pocket.

"Oh okay. I still think you should comb your hair back." My mom crossed her arms in defeat.

"I really appreciate the help but I think this look is good. Besides, I have to meet with Shane in twenty minutes," I said. I kissed her cheek, grabbed Sam's corsage, a couple of bags and left the apartment.

Shane wanted to meet with me at the hotel that Carly booked for us. My mom wasn't very thrilled with the idea of me not coming home right after prom but I convinced her to calm down. Besides, neither of us drink so there was no way we were going to get wasted. Carly just wanted the four of us to hang out without Spencer or my mother telling us when to go to sleep.

I met up with Shane in front of my building and he drove us to the hotel in his white truck. Since we were going to the hotel right after prom, we decided to bring a bag full pajamas for all of us to sleep in, some clothes for us to wear the next day, and other essential items like toothbrushes, face creams for Carly, and comfortable shoes. We were going to drop them off and then head back to Bushwell to meet with the girls. As we were walking to our room, I noticed Shane had his guitar with him.

"Shane, why did you bring your guitar?"

"Carly thought it would make the night more special if I did a little acoustic session after prom. Maybe Sam would want to join me." He smiled.

"Oh I see. That's actually a great idea. I think Sam needs to warm up to the idea of singing for others since she only sings for me. She's pursuing a career in music after all."

"That's great. Good for her."

We walked inside the room basically, it took my breath away. It was huge, complete with a mini fridge, a big screen TV, a stereo system, an a bathroom in each bedroom. It must have cost Carly a fortune. Saving money for the prom all these years must have really been worth it after all.

When we were done, we parked in front of the Bushwell Plaza. We agreed to meet with the girls in Carly's apartment and take photos there. Shane, Spencer, and I were standing in front of the stairs, waiting for the two girls to come down. I had Sam's corsage in my hand. It was light purple to match our outfits with very vivid green leaves around it and a ribbon tied into a bow.

"Okay, we'll be downstairs in a minute," announced Carly from the second floor.

I felt myself getting a little sweaty and my heart was thumping against my chest so hard, it felt like it was the only sound in the room. Prom is the day everyone looks glamorous and I was nervous to see Sam in a dress and high heels. I was so used to seeing her in jeans, sneakers, and a sweatshirt.

Carly walked down the stairs first. I never understood girls and their slow motion walks down the stairs. But Carly looked beautiful and I could tell that her hard work paid off in the end. Spencer took pictures of her as she walked down the stairs and towards Shane. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and she stood next to him. I knew Sam was coming up next.

Unlike Carly, Sam didn't walk slower than normal but to me, it felt as it time had slowed down. As if time wanted me to savor and enjoy the moment of me watching Sam walk down the stairs in her prom dress, her high heels, manicured hands, and fancy make up. Her dress was light purple just like she described it. Her hair was straight and it looked shockingly thin compared to how thick and wild it looks when it's curly.

She looked shy as she walked down towards me, which was odd because she's always been anything but shy. When she was downstairs, she stood in front of me. She was exactly my height with her high heels on. I am only slightly taller than her but it still felt a little strange to have her at eye level. She wasn't looking at me in the eye. Her shy personality was really showing through. I placed my index finger under her chin and gently lifted her face so that she was looking at me.

"You are so beautiful." I smiled at her and gave her a quick peck on the lips because we had people around us.

"Stop it!" Sam said. My eyes widened.

"What?"

"You're just saying that because I am all girl-ed up." She crossed her arms and pouted. It looked adorable.

I laughed a little bit and I uncrossed her arms. I pulled her closer to me so that we were hugging as tight as possible.

"I didn't say you LOOK beautiful. I said you ARE beautiful. You've always been to me," I said to her softly.

"AW!" We both turned to see Carly looking at us as if we were couple of the year. "When did you get so smooth, Freddie?"

"Let's just take pictures and go. The limo will be here soon." I laughed.

We spent a good hour taking pictures in Carly's apartment. We took group shots, single shots, couple shots, and some were just silly and goofy. I can't remember the last time I had fun by simply taking pictures. After we were done in the apartment, we took some pictures outside as we waited for the limo. And when the limo arrived, we took some shots in front of it before leaving.

The limo was a lot more miraculous than I expected. I didn't expect flashing lights all over the place, a disco ball in the middle, and loud music blaring from speakers that I couldn't see. It was overwhelming. Carly really outdid herself. I was feeling awkward at first because I was never the party type of guy. Carly and Shane were up, holding onto bars to support themselves, dancing together like their lives depended on it. I looked over at Sam, who looked just as uncomfortable as I was feeling.

"What do you want to do?" I leaned in towards her ear and basically yelled because the music was so loud.

"I'm not really in the mood to dance right now. I just want a root beer or something." She reached across and grabbed a bottle of root beer. I didn't even know where it came from but she was drinking it. Something was definitely off about Sam. Maybe she was still hurting and didn't really feel like going out and having fun.

"Are you okay?"

"What do you mean?" Sam said as she finished her root beer.

"You don't seem like you're enjoying yourself. We don't have to go if you don't want to."

"No. I'm the one who wanted to come, remember? I just can't remember the last time I felt so out of place."

"Look," I said, grabbing her hand. "We don't have to dance. Just having each other's company is good enough for me. It's going to be a good night. I promise."

She offered me a small smile and I kissed the side of her head.

* * *

We arrive to the location where our prom was being held. As soon as we entered, I felt like I was in another world. The entire room looked fancy and every table was beautifully decorated. There was a large space in the middle of the room for everyone to dance.

We found a table and waited as everyone arrived. There was a complete schedule of our prom. We had to wait a certain amount of time until everyone was seated and then we could have our dinner. There were waiters lined up with menus on their hands waiting as well. There was also a dessert table, loaded with sweets and two chocolate fountains. I knew instantly that I would be spending a lot of time by the dessert table because there was a tray of Fat Cakes and I know how much Sam loves them. She could go through so many of them in one sitting, amazingly.

After dinner, we'd have time to dance and do whatever we want before the prom queen and king win and after that, more dancing until midnight. I didn't expect prom to be so organized.

Finally, after about a half hour of waiting, a waiter stopped by our table to give us our menus. I grabbed one and thanked him before looking at the food selection.

"I'm getting the friend chicken." Sam slammed the menu closed on the table with a smile on her face.

"Wow. I just opened my menu and you've already chosen your food."

"You know how I feel about fried chicken."

"Ha, ha, I do." I smiled at her and resumed to looking at my menu.

Carly had a salad with chicken, Shane had shrimp, I had a steak with mashed potatoes, and Sam, of course, had fried chicken and root beer since it's her all time favorite meal next to bacon and Fat Cakes.

As we ate, Carly would interrupt every once in a while to hand Sam a napkin.

"Sam, I don't want you getting grease on that dress that you worked so hard for."

"What are you, my guardian? I promise, I won't get any chicken grease on my dress." Sam snatched a napkin from Carly's hand and wiped her hands.

"Sam knows how to handle her chicken," I said, chuckling.

* * *

After the dinner, we all stayed at the tables to talk and take more pictures. The DJ finally started playing music and that was everyone's queue to go to the dance floor. I immediately felt the awkward consume me because these songs were club songs and I was never much of a dancer.

Carly stood up and grabbed Shane by the wrist.

"Let's go dance, Shane."

I watched them as they made their way to the crowded dance floor. No one kept it PG, not even Gibby. He was in the middle, shirtless, waving his shirt around in circles. There were couples dancing in a very suggestive way. Carly has Shane behind him and there was not an inch of space between them. I looked over at Sam who was observing the dance floor as well.

"Talk about awkward," she sighed.

"Do you want to dance, Sam?" I asked her so we wouldn't have to sit and do nothing.

"Freddie," she turned to face me. She looked completely serious, like she wanted to murder someone. "If I wanted to have sex with you, I would have asked you to dance ten minutes ago."

Then, her straight face quickly turned into a smile and she began to burst into laughter. I began to laugh as well. It was so long since Sam and I actually laughed together. I didn't want it to stop but eventually, the both of us calmed down.

I looked at her for a moment and smiled at her.

"You don't know how good it feels to watch you laugh again. I'm glad you're getting better."

"Well," Sam shrugged her shoulders. "I can only mope around so much."

"I know it's going to take time to heal but I'm glad you're not letting it consume you. All I want is to see you smile."

"You know it's hard to be upset when you're around… oh god! You have turned me into such a fruit cocktail. It's not even funny."

"I like your fruity side," I teased, causing her to roll her eyes at me.

"Let's go do something, Benson."

Sam took my hand and dragged to the one place I knew she would take me to. While everyone was dancing, the dessert table. It was stocked with fudge, brownies, cookies, marshmallows, fruit, Fat Cakes, and of course the chocolate fountains.

"Let me guess, chocolate covered Fat Cakes?" I raised an eyebrow.

"But of course. I don't understand why the company hasn't come out with these yet." She took a whole Fat Cake and covered a piece of it with chocolate before she took a big bite out of it. Her lips were covered in pink sugar. I smiled as it reminded me of the day I met her and I gave her half of my snacks.

I took some pineapple and strawberries and I coated them with chocolate. At one point, Sam forced chocolate covered Fat Cakes into my mouth. Sam knows I don't like Fat Cakes which gave her more motivation to shove it down my throat. It wasn't terrible but I'm just not a hardcore fan of the snack like she is.

* * *

Sam and I didn't do much throughout the night. Both us are very uncomfortable with dancing so that was out of the question. We spent a lot of our time hanging out by the balcony. I introduced her to my friends from the AV club. Everyone complimented me for getting such a pretty girl. I could tell Sam was uncomfortable with all the compliments because she's not used to it but I was proud that my friends approved of her.

We spent a lot of our time talking and telling each other jokes. I could tell she was feeling out of place but I knew she was trying to make the most out of the night by being silly. I was so appreciative of her wanting to try and have a good night.

We were actually having a good time together that we didn't realize it was almost eleven and we saw everyone rushing to the dance floor. The king and queen were going be crowned.

Sam I walked towards the dance floor and stood in a spot where it would be easy for us to watch who was going to get crowned. When it was completely silent and all of the people nominated were on stage, the principal held the microphone to his lips to speak.

"Good evening everyone. Is everyone having a good time?"

Everyone roared in cheers.

"Okay, okay everyone, settle down," he announced as he pulled out an envelop. "I have the results right here in my hand."

He opened the envelop and took out the card. As we waited for him to announce the winners, I looked over at Carly, who was one of the nominees. Either she was very confident about winning prom queen or she was very good at hiding her anxiousness. She was against three other girls, one of them including Wendy. It probably wasn't easy for her to be competing against her best friend despite their recent lack of communication. Then, I looked over at Shane who was also one of the nominees. He seemed very calm on stage. I could tell he wanted to win alongside Carly but he also seemed simply thankful to even be on that stage in the first place. After a few seconds, he place the microphone back to his lips.

"The senior prom king is…. Shane." (A/N: I have no idea what Shane's last name is. I don't think it was mentioned in his episode.) Principle Franklin turned to look at Shane and clapped along with the rest of the audience. We all cheered and clapped for him. I didn't doubt him one bit because I know how well liked he is in the school. He took a few steps forward so one of the chaperons could put the crown and sash on him. Shane looked over at Carly who seemed very happy about his win. He stood in the middle along side Principle Franklin.

"And now, your senior prom queen is… Carly Shay."

Sam and I cheered as loud as we could once Carly's name was called. I think Carly was more surprised than anyone else because she was such a nervous mess the week before prom. Her mouth was wide open in surprise as she slowly walked forward to receive her crown and sash. Carly looked like she was about to cry because one of her dreams finally came true but she held them back as she and Shane hugged tightly.

"Congratulations you two. Everyone, make room for them as they share their victory dance. Have a great night, kids. You have until midnight to enjoy the rest of the prom."

With that, Carly and Shane walked hand in hand towards the center of the dance floor. The DJ played a slow song. Carly had her hands around Shane's waist and he had his on her hips. They began to dance as everyone else watched them in awe and took picture after picture. Once the song was done, the DJ played more upbeat music and everyone else began to dance as well.

As everyone else danced while others were eating snacks or hanging out in the balcony, Sam and I were at our table. Even though we didn't do much, I was happy to just be with her. If we would have stayed at home, se would probably mope around the apartment all night long and I didn't want that for her. I could tell she was happy despite the fact that we didn't dance.

It was getting close to midnight and the DJ announced that he was going to play the very last song of the night before we all had to grab our stuff and leave. He played a slow song. Everyone coupled up and began to dance slower. Carly and Shane were still on the dance floor.

I looked over at Sam. She was observing the dancing crowd. She didn't want to dance but I figured that one slow dance would not hurt. We slow danced once before when we hung out at the 21 and under club. I got up from my seat and stood in front of her, extending my arm out to her.

"Sam, do you maybe want to have at least one dance with me before our prom ends?" I gave her the most sincere smile I could offer and hoped that she would say yes.

She looked over at the crowd of couples dancing together and then at my hand. She reached for it and stood up. I took it as a yes when she began to lead to the dance floor. Once we found a good spot, she turned around to face me. My hands automatically went to her hips and hers went around my neck.

She leaned her head on my shoulder with her facing my neck. I could feel her breath tickling my neck and I enjoyed it very much. I placed my head down towards hers in contentment and I closed my eyes as we began to sway with the music. The last time we danced like this, it was a strictly friendly dance, even thought we both probably wanted more at the time. But this time, a few months after our last dance, it was different. We weren't dancing as just friends and we weren't as awkward.

As we danced, I felt as if there was no one around us. No one that made fun of me or bullied me or threw me in trash cans. No one was around but Sam and me. I always felt weird with public displays of affection, especially around people form my school because everyone at school believed I'd be alone for the rest of my life for being such a wimpy nerd. I didn't care this time. I learned from being with Sam that I shouldn't care what people think about me.

I slightly tightened my grip around her hips and pulled her as close to me as I possibly could.

I didn't want to stop. I could have stayed in that position with her for hours and not get tired of it. Unfortunately, the DJ stopped and it was time for everyone to leave.

We waited for a few minutes until we found Carly and Shane. Carly was not wearing her heels. She actually had them in her hand. They were both very sweaty.

"Wow, you guys look tired."

"We are. My feet are in so much pain right now," Carly said. "I can't wait to get to the hotel and take a shower."

We walked outside and found our limo right away. Everyone else seemed to still be in the party mood. They all jumped into their limos, cheering and playing really loud music. Maybe they were going to an after party. But we decided to take a quiet ride back to the hotel.

* * *

As soon as we arrived to the hotel, Carly and Sam insisted on showering. Carly because she was so sweaty and Sam because she has a habit of showering strictly at night only.

Once we were all showered and in our pajamas, we decided to sit in a circle in the middle of the living room. We had a plate full of snacks and Shane had his guitar out. He was playing a couple of tunes that he wrote himself but he hadn't written the lyrics for yet.

"You're really good, Shane," said Carly as she reached for a couple of pretzels from the plate.

"Yeah, not bad." San complimented him. "Do you sing?"

"Thanks guys. And no, I'm not much of a singer but I have written some lyrics," Shane said shyly.

"Sing something for us. Please, Shane." Carly gave him puppy dog eyes. Those eyes used to drive me crazy and they would convince me to do anything for her. I had a feeling they would work on Shane as well.

"Okay," he sighed and took out a notebook. "It's a bit rusty."

_Brown eyes and lungs are filled up with smoke  
Fast lives are stuck in the undertow  
But you know the places I wanna go  
Cause oh oh oh  
I've got a sickness, you've got the cure  
You've got the spark I've been lookin' for  
And I've got a plan, we walk out the door_

When he was done, we all clapped for him. He placed his guitar down.

"Well, that's all I have written so far. What did you think?"

"Wow, you're really good. I didn't know you were such a good singer, Shane." Carly smiled at him.

"I have to agree with Carly, that was pretty good." Sam complimented him.

"Sam, why don't you and Shane sing something. You two are the musicians in the bunch anyways," I offered.

"Uh… I don't know." Sam put her head down. I knew that singing for others would make her uncomfortable but I wanted her to get that boost so that it wouldn't be too much of a problem in college.

"Oh come on Sam. I've never heard you sing before." Carly tried to encourage her as well.

After hesitating for a bit, they both agreed.

"What kind of music do you like?" Sam asked Shane.

"I'm into pop rock. Do you like BLG?"

"I love their music. How about we do 'Thunder'?"

"Sounds good. Let's alternate between verses. You sing the first verse, I sing, the second verse, we can sing the chorus together, and we can alternate between lines in the bridge."

"Okay, perfect." Sam looked over at me and Shane picked up his guitar gain. She gave me a small smile. I reached for her hand and squeezed in lightly

When Shane had his guitar ready, he signaled Sam before he began to play his guitar. Right away, Sam began to sing, followed by Shane.

_Today is a winding road that's taking me to places that I didn't want to go  
Whoa (whoa, whoa, whoa)  
Today in the blink of an eye I'm holding on to something and I do not know why Itried  
I tried to read between the lines  
I tried to look in your eyes  
I want a simple explanation  
For what I'm feeling inside  
I gotta find a way out  
Maybe there's a way out_

_Your voice was the soundtrack of my summer  
Do you know you're unlike any other?  
You'll always be my thunder, and I said  
Your eyes are the brightest of all the colors  
I don't wanna ever love another  
You'll always be my thunder  
So bring on the rain  
And bring on the thunder_

I always enjoyed watching Sam sing. I always watched her with such admiration. If there is anything that Sam is passionate about, it's music. She always lost herself in the songs she sings, whether they are her own or just covers. I found myself smiling as she sang the song she picked with Shane.

When they were done, Carly and I clapped for them. Carly leaned in and hugged Shane tightly.

"That was amazing. You have to sing to me more often," she said. Shane laughed and nodded.

"Deal."

"What did you think?" Sam looked over at me.

"You know how I feel about your singing." I kissed her on her cheek.

"Wow guys," Carly said as she looked at the screen on her phone. "it's two in the morning. I think we should go to bed. I am so tired ."

"Yeah me too," said Shane.

"I think we're going to hang out in the balcony in our room. Is that okay with you, Sam?"

She nodded.

"Okay. Goodnight, guys," said Carly as she and Shane walked over to their room.

* * *

Sam and I were on the balcony. She leaned over it and I stood behind her, looping my arms around her waist and resting my chin on her head. We were quietly looking at the sky even though there were barely any stars. It was pretty cold as well but I didn't mind and it didn't seem like Sam minded either. We were very quiet which didn't bother me too much but I had a feeling that Sam had something on her mind.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked her. "Did you have fun tonight?"

"Yeah. I know we didn't do a lot but I did have a good time. It was a good break form just going to school and working every day."

"I'm glad." I smiled.

"But… sometimes I feel so bored with my life.." She sighed deeply.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I'm happy, don't get me wrong. I'm glad that I don't have to deal with beatings and having to rely on bullying people for money. But… I feel like that was my only high in life. I feel kind of bored right now…"

"Sam…," I whispered.

"No wait. I've been feeling bored but I don't want to go back to the way I used to be. I know I've changed but I'm always going to want to feel a rush. I kind of figured that's why I wanted to go to prom. Not just because it seemed like it would be a fun event to go to but because it took one day and made it different from the rest. I don't know what I'm saying. Just forget it."

I held her a little tighter. I kind of understood where she was coming from. With all of her struggles, there was constant thrill and she was always on the edge of her seat. I understood that she missed having that thrill in her life but she didn't want to go back to her old ways just to achieve it again.

"I understand," I said to her. I held her tighter. "Don't feel bad. I'm sure you can find that thrill positively. Maybe you can join a sport in college. We could go to an amusement park after graduation. Maybe we could even go on our adventure when we get to California."

She turned around but my arms around her waist didn't move. Her hands were on my shoulders.

"Promise?"

We smiled together and I leaned in for a kiss. Just as our lips were about to touch, Carly came barged onto the balcony with tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong Carls?" Sam tried to calm her down by patting her back when Carly hugged her and began to cry harder.

"I really like Shane, you two know that."

She cried some more and we tried to comfort her again. She took a few deep breaths and then finished telling us what was going on.

"I told Shane that I like him. I don't know if I came on too strong but I kissed him and I told him and I want to be with him. I thought he liked me too but I guess not. I thought I finally found someone that wasn't going to hurt me but he did."

Sam began to rub her arms as I tried to find a way to make her feel better.

"Carly… don't be too upset. He really does like you."

"So why did he reject me, huh? Why?"

"Just because he is a guy doesn't mean he's not vulnerable. I know how much Griffin hurt you but he is not Shane. Shane has gone through as much pain as you."

"How do you know?" Carly started wiping some of the tears from her eyes.

"Carly, he's my friend. Just explain to him hat happened with Griffin. It will show him that you trust him and you try to work it out from there. He doesn't want to get hurt either."

Carly walked over to me and gave me a big hug.

"Thanks Freddie. I remember I was always the one giving you love advice and now it's the other way around."

We all laughed lightly.

"We're your friends, Carly. You can count on us."

"Thanks guys." Carly took us into a group hug and then went to her room.

When Carly was gone, I turned to Sam.

"I think we should go to bed. It's getting very late," I suggested.

"I know. Good thing I don't have work tomorrow. We can sleep in." She stretched and walked over to the nightstand.

I sat up on the bed as she plugged in her phone to charge. When she was done, she stood in front of me and took my hand.

"I really did have fun, Freddie. Um… thanks for coming with me." She was acting shy again. I didn't mind because I thought it was very cute of her.

Instead of saying something to her, I stood up and quickly leaned in to kiss her. I felt like kissing her was something that was long overdue because we didn't do much of it throughout the day. I lost myself in her as I gently massaged her lips with mine. The only thing running through my mind was me and her. I didn't even realize that she leaned backwards until she was sandwiched between me an the wall.

Her lips were soft, warm, and sweet. I could taste the vanilla from the lip balm she kept on reapplying on her lips throughout the night. It drove me crazy. After a few minutes of kissing, our lips separated and I made my way to her neck. She slightly lifted her head to give me better access. I could hear her heavy breathing as I placed light kisses all over neck.

I moved up neck, to her cheek, and then I moved to her lips again. This time, she parted her lips and tongue action began. I don't know what came over me. Maybe it was the fact that we were alone and we didn't have any parental figures to interrupt us. Maybe I just let myself get too into the moment. But I felt so brave and daring and I wanted to go further. My hands were on her back and I slid them down slowly until they were on her butt. I waited for her to stop me but she didn't and I took it as a sign. I left them there as we continued to taste each other's mouths.

Her hands were on my shirt and our lips parted from each other only for a slight second a she lifted up my shirt and threw in on the floor. This time, Sam was the daring one. She pushed me slightly until my back was on the bed. She took off her shirt quickly and she was left with just her bra and pajama pants. She climbed on top of me and began to kiss my chest.

Unlike the last time we got anywhere near sex, we were both nervous and afraid because it was our first time. This time, it was different. I didn't feel awkward and I wasn't thinking about how good I would be and I wasn't worried about not pleasing her. We were both at a point in our relationship where we were one hundred percent comfortable with ourselves and each other both emotionally and physically.

She sat up and looked at me. She was breathing heavily.

"Are you sure about this?" Sam asked in between breaths.

I simply nodded and leaned up to capture her lips with mine.

* * *

**Well, the ending was kind of cliché wasn't it? Haha but it was sweet and I was meaning to write an ending that kind of leads to you guys using your imagination *wink wink***

**Anyways, sorry it took me an entire semester to get this chapter finished. I wasn't a part time student this semester but I was still equally busy. I actually had to do my work in English class instead of BS-ing my way towards a passing grade haha. I also committed myself to Child Development class. I think I got an A because I went out of my way to do extra credit which is rare for me lol.**

**This chapter may seem a bit choppy because I wasn't consistent as I wrote it. I began writing it and then the semester started so I would write bits of it every once in a while.**

**I'm most likely going to be in summer school which starts next week. The class in actually full and California is just a terrible place for college students right now for economic reasons. So I'm hoping to add it -_-.**

**Anyways, back to the story. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. The next chapter will focus on finals week and it will be in Sam's POV. Carly and Shane will also be mentioned so you will find out if they get together or not. I'm predicting 4 more chapters and this story will be finished. Wow. I can't believe it.**

**Well, until next time. Take care.**

**PS. The songs featured in this chapter are "Five Minutes to Midnight" and "Thunder" by Boys Like Girls aka my summer anthems haha. I love BLG. :)  
**


	33. Chapter 32: Finals Week

**Hello everyone.**

**I apologize for not updating sooner than I said I was. I got a major case of writer's block after my last update. Not to mention, I went to El Salvador for a week and it was incredibly stressful trying to get a new passport the day before I was going to leave. It was a nice little escape and I had a lot of fun.**

**Anyways, enjoy this chapter. This takes place one month after prom.**

* * *

I leaned over the counter and rested my chin against the palm of my hand. Work was beginning to bore me. It was the week before finals and I assumed that most students were locked in their rooms studying instead of hanging out at the Groovy Smoothie. That explained why there were only a group of three hanging out. They looked like they were in their mid 20's.

Rolling my eyes, I thought to myself how much better the day would be if I wasn't at work. I was standing up, making my feet sore for nothing.

As I waited for my shift to be over, I noticed Carly and Wendy outside of the Groovy Smoothie. They looked happy and they hugged before Wendy left and Carly walked inside. She waved at me as she walked closer.

"Hey, Sam. Busy day?"

"Oh yeah, very busy," I replied with as much sarcasm as she had given me. She laughed.

"So… what do you need, Shay?" I asked her, actually loving the fact that I was going to do something productive at work.

"Nothing for now. I'm waiting for Shane. Smoothie date." She smiled.

"Ah… so I take it things are going well."

"Yes they are. You have no idea how happy I am right now."

Seeing people full of smiles as if they were ready to barf rainbows usually made me want to barf myself. But after everything that happened in the past months, including getting to know Carly, made me realize that even the girliest girls that I was always looking down on deserved to be happy. Her smile was contagious and I couldn't help but smile also.

After prom, Carly and Shane spent an entire day together to talk. He explained to her that he didn't want to be used and that finding someone that liked him for him was a struggle. With everything that happened between Carly and Griffin, it was easy for her to comfort him and understand him. I'll never forget the day they became official and she was squealing and giggling as she explained everything to me over the phone.

Then, she invited Wendy out for coffee. Things weren't so great between them and part of me felt guilty. I liked actually having a friend but I respect Carly too much to make anyone feel like I replaced one of her best friends. And that is exactly how Wendy felt. She felt replaced by me and Shane but they talked and eventually worked things out. It was actually nice to see them interacting, especially with the wedding coming up.

"Good for you, Carly." I took out some Windex and a towel to clean up the counter. Yeah… I was that bored.

"I'm glad we made up. I was afraid Spencer's wedding was going to be awkward since the three of us are Vanessa's bride's maids."

"You know, the wedding has been the last thing on my mind lately," I admitted. "I kind of forgot about it."

"So did I, for a moment. I feel like so much has happened in less than a year and it's kind of overwhelming."

"Tell me about it." I nodded. "One minute, I am carefree, completely content with how I was doing and the next, accidents happen and everything just changes. It's weird to think about it sometimes."

"Yeah… I never thought we'd ever be here. And we're graduating soon too."

"Yeah…" I laughed nervously. It was suddenly hitting me that I was leaving Seattle soon.

"Oh, Shane is here. Can you get us two mango smoothies?"

I nodded. Carly walked over to Shane happily, they kissed and sat down as I made them their complimentary smoothies. Despite a boring day at work, I never got tired of the benefit of having free smoothies whenever I wanted.

After work, I headed straight for Bushwell Plaza. It was always the same story. I find a parking spot about a block away, I was to the building, and I am greeted by that obnoxious man, Lewbert.

Lately, there has been more added to this "story". Every day, when I come home from work, I see Freddie in the living room, studying his ass off. He never seems to catch a break. It gets frustrating because the evenings have become so boring. At the same time though, I felt really bad for him. Most of my classes are electives so there isn't much studying for me to do. I only had to study for my history and math class but other than that, I wasn't as busy as Freddie. And I'm the one who has a job. Unlike me, most of Freddie's schedule is filled with AP classes and he has been studying for over a month. Since it was one week before finals, he was studying extra hard.

This day was no exception. As always, he was in the living room, studying with tons of unorganized papers around him.

"Hey," I greeted him unenthusiastically as I placed my backpack on a hanger by the door. I kicked my shoes off and sat next to him on the couch. Well, I sat on the small area that wasn't covered by papers.

"Hey, Sam." He gave me a quick kiss on the lips and continued to do his studying. I groaned.

"Freddie, why don't you take a break or something?"

"No chance. Finals week is less than a week away and I have so much that I haven't covered." He did not look at me once while he was talking.

"But you're over studying. At least take a small break."

"Nope."

I groaned out loud. I didn't want to get aggressive with my boyfriend but hey, sometimes a girl just wants to spend some time with her boyfriend without him having an enormous stick up his butt about finals.

I snatched the incredibly thick math book from his hands, closed it, and threw it on the other couch.

"Sam!" He began yelling. "What is your problem?"

"My problem, Benson, is that all you ever do is study. You need a break and I need something better to do than to just watch reruns while you study your ass off. Relax."

He took a deep breath and collapsed on the couch. His eyes were closed as he attempted to relax.

"You're right, I'm sorry," he said as he took the papers that were scattered on the couch. "It's just that I don't want to take a break. If I do, I'm just going to get the urge to not study. I don't want to become lazy. Especially now."

"Just take a short break. My brain would have been fried by now if I were you."

I sat on the couch and I patted my legs. He took the hint and laid down on the couch with his head on my lap. His eyes were closed as he tried to relax by taking in deep breaths. His face sweaty, probably from the stress, so I blew on his forehead to cool him off. Freddie has been more than happy to take care of me so I thought it would only be fair for me to take good care of him.

"I'm sorry, Sam." We were silent for a few minutes so I was taken back when he randomly blurted that out.

"What for?"

He sat up and looked at me. "You know. I feel like a jerk for neglecting you so much lately. I just don't want a low GPA."

"Shut up," I said, nudging him playfully. "I understand. I don't want to make you feel guilty but it wouldn't hurt to take a few breaks so I wouldn't feel so bored here."

"Still," he breathed out as he leaned in to kiss my cheek.

"You know, I feel like a jerk too, sort of," I confessed. He pulled back.

"Why is that?" He took the opportunity to pull closer so that my head was resting on his chest. I didn't resist.

"Well, you have all these advanced classes and you're studying so much. And me, aside from working, I'm not that busy. Most of my classes are electives so there's not much for me to study."

"Sam, that's dumb. I've been in AP classes for so long. I'm used to it. But I promise to take breaks frequently and use them to be with you."

"You better, Benson." I looked up at him and smiled.

"Puckett," he whispered as he too smiled, remembering how we used to call each other by our last names. He leaned down to kiss me and oh gosh, it felt good to kiss him again for longer than two seconds.

His mom wasn't home so we took advantage of it just for that day. I put everything into that kiss and I could feel Freddie putting his all into it as well. Somehow, we managed to get in a position where I was on my back on the couch and he was above me. His hands were on my hips and mine were on his hair. His hair is so soft and I couldn't get enough of it.

We broke the kiss so we could get some air and he took it as an opportunity to something else. I felt his soft lips leaving tiny kisses all over my neck. I didn't even bother to worry about getting any bites on my neck. But when I did feel him biting my it, I had to stop him. I gently pushed him off.

"Whoa there, Freddie. I said take a break, not get busy."

"I think I've done more than enough studying for tonight. I'll just continue tomorrow." He sounded very eager. I guess he just wasn't as nervous about it as before.

"Yeah but in your mom's house?" I was very iffy about engaging in any kind of sexual activity in the place I was staying at. Freddie and I never did it in his place.

"Don't worry about that. My mom has the night shift."

"But still, it's-" I was interrupted by his lips. They were soft and gentle.

"Let's just forget about everything for a moment," he breathed out after pulling away.

I took his hand in mind and agreed that we both needed to get our minds off everything that was happening.

We stood up and walked to his bedroom hand in hand.

* * *

The only thing I loved about finals were the short school hours. I'd leave at noon, work about three hours and have the rest of the afternoon off. I couldn't remember the last time I was actually well rested.

I couldn't say the same for Freddie. He still took his frequent breaks and we'd spend them by going out for a walk so he could stretch or we'd have dinner together but he was still exhausted. The first day of finals, he woke up extra early to cram a little bit. Then he came home to study for the next final.

For me, finals were a breeze. I wasn't completely sure about how well I did in math and history but I knew well enough that I was going to pass them with a decent grade.

My other finals were easy. For my paint class, I had to take a picture and replicate it onto a canvas (A/N: That's what I did for my paint final. I painted Nick Jonas xD). I found an old photo of my dad in the pile of stuff I decided I wanted to keep before everything from my old house was thrown away. It was a photo of him when he was my age, holding the same guitar I grew up with in his hands. I painted on that canvas with as much passion and dedication as I could. It was difficult to not get upset as I painted but I sometimes caught myself smiling.

My cooking class wasn't so bad either. We had to cook or bake something that was a lot more complex than what we learned in the beginning of the year. I ended up baking a three layer cake and I also decorated it. I know I'm good at cooking and I figured that if teaching music didn't work out, I could always study culinary arts.

The last day of finals was the day I was really looking forward to. Not only because it was the last day of finals. My very last final was my creative writing class. Although I enjoy writing, the final was challenging. There was no fictional story or write or deep and meaningful lyrics. No, I had to write a letter to someone who changed my life. If anybody knew me well, they'd think the letter was for Freddie. But no, I decided to write a letter to my mom. I trusted my teacher enough to get into certain details about it.

Relief swept through me the moment I heard the final bell ring. I knew life wasn't going to get any easier but I knew that I was finally going to live my own life and that was somehow comforting. Freddie always got out of school about 30 minutes after me so I decided to pick him up.

Mess was not an appropriate word for Freddie when I saw him in the Ridgeway parking lot. I always leave for school before he does so I never know what he decides to wear or how he decides to style his hair. His was messy and he had huge bags and dark circles under his eyes. I felt really bad for him.

His mom wasn't home when we arrived. It felt good to walk in and see the living room free of books and papers laying around.

"You feel better?" I asked Freddie as we walked to his room.

"You have no idea how relieved I am." He threw himself on his bed and patted the space next to him. I kicked off my shoes and laid next to him.

"And you have no idea how glad I am that I have the day off," I laughed for a moment.

Mrs. Benson had another night shift but we weren't as messed up as to take advantage of it. Freddie and I had a very healthy sexual relationship but we never took advantage of his mom's work schedule. Besides, there is more to Freddie and I than THAT. We could be cuddling in a bed in complete silence without it leading to something more and that's exactly what we did.

We were both exhausted and as we held each other on his bed, we drifted off and fell asleep.

* * *

Finals were over but we still had to attend school the next day to collect all of our older projects and receive our final grades from our teachers. It was a very boring day because we didn't do anything in classes and since I didn't have any friends, I was just some fly on the wall.

Lunch came around and after eating my food, I had to go to the auditorium to pick up cap and gown. I didn't think much of it when I had to fill out a form for the size of my cap and gown the very first day of my senior year. It was stupid and I wasn't going to graduate anyways. Boy was I wrong. All the caps and gowns were sorted alphabetically so I looked around for the letter P. Surprisingly, Mrs. Adams, was the one who was providing caps and gowns for those whose last names started with a P.

"Hello, Sam," she greeted me with a smile as I approached her.

"Hey Mrs. A."

"I'm very proud of you, Sam. I wish you the best of luck."

She looked through the pile and found a package with my name on it. All the caps and gowns were a light blue. She handed the package to me.

"Thanks."

"You deserve it."

The rest of the day was boring as usual. But I felt a weight being lifted off my shoulders when the final bell rang and I left my classroom.

It finally hit me as I was walking down the hall and to my car.

"Oh crap… I finally made it," I said to myself.

* * *

**Another chapter complete. I don't know why but I always tend to think every chapter isn't as good. This is definitely one of my shorter chapters (I guess you can call it a filler) and I won't make the next few chapters too long but I won't make them too short either. If I'm not mistaken, we have four chapters left until I am finished with this story. Wow. The last chapter will definitely be longer.**

**So the next chapter will be about Sam and Freddie's graduation.**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoy this one despite it being short.**

**Ps. How awesome was iLost My Mind? I'm a 21 year old woman freaking out about how awesome two high school fictional characters kissed in front of millions of people. Haha. Oh and I wrote a one shot called iReunite With You. Please check it out if you can.**


	34. Chapter 33: Graduates

**Hi guys. I can't believe I've gotten this far. A lot of my stories have been discontinued because it was hard for me to keep it interesting but not this one. Speaking of discontinued stories, I might discontinue my story, "Summer Vacation." I'm just not feeling it. Boo.**

**Anyway, this is one of my favorite chapters. Everyone is graduating. Yay. The beginning of this chapter takes place on the same day as the ending of the last chapter. So it's one day before Sam's graduation.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

I exited Bushwell Plaza, avoiding Lewbert as much as possible but it was no use. The ringing in my ears wouldn't stop after his constant screeching about how people weren't allowed in his lobby after mopping the place. Maybe he should have put a wet floor sign.

I was on my way to the dry cleaners to pick up my suit for graduation. Graduation was only two days away and my mom was freaking out. Well, her first reason for freaking out, I understood. She was having a hard time digesting the fact that I was leaving in four weeks and I didn't exactly have a lot of free time. A lot of my time had to be dedicated to packing all of my stuff up in time to leave for life in California and preparing for Spencer's wedding which was in two weeks. Luckily, Sam and I found a good apartment right by USC and it's conveniently located on a main street so it would be easier for both myself and Sam to get to our classes on time. The only thing we needed was to look for job so could support ourselves. With the help of my scholarship, Sam's financial aid, and if we had luck on our sides while looking for a job, we'd be set.

The reason I was on my way to the cleaners was because as I was trying on my graduation suit that day after school, Sam was eating some shrimp cocktail she made earlier. She makes delectable shrimp cocktail, I must add. Before eating that, she ate a lot of chocolate chip cookies and some Fat Cakes which didn't sit well in her stomach. She threw up all over my suit, thus increasing the panic building up inside of my mom. We immediately took it to the dry cleaners. I was very lucky because they said they could clean it up without damaging the suit in less than three hours. But I think it was only possible because my mom's annoying tactics convinced the man at the dry cleaners that if he worked on it right away, he wouldn't have to deal with her anymore.

I walked inside the dry cleaners and took out the receipt from me pocket.

"I'm hear to pick my suit up." I handed the man the receipt.

"Ah yes. You're the kid with the mom," he said and rolled his eyes. I really didn't like that man. He quickly took the suit and handed it to me. Thank gosh it wasn't a long process.

"Thanks, have a good day," I said and walked away without giving him time to reply.

I walked back to Bushwell, holding the suit carefully in my hands. It was a rather expensive suit that my mom bought me at a really good store. I had no idea how she was able to afford it but she said that she saved up all year and she wanted me to look more handsome than I normally do. Her words, not mine. I couldn't stay annoyed at my mom's ways after that. I really am lucky to have her.

I walked past The Groovy Smoothie and I noticed Sam talking to her boss as I peeked inside. Confusion was shown al over my face as I was under the impression that Sam wasn't feeling very well. She threw up a lot and became dizzy right after. My mom had to go buy her three bottles of unflavored Pedialyte to regain all of the fluid she lost. She insisted in unflavored because it sort of tasted like coconut water to her and all the other flavors were garbage. Even after puking up a storm, she had an amazing sense of humor.

I decided to wait for her and I stood in front of the smoothie joint. She gave her boss a big hug right after taking an envelop from his hands and she exited. I noticed a hint of sadness on her face but I only figured it was because she was still feeling sick from throwing up earlier.

She looked surprised and even jumped a little bit when she stepped outside and saw me.

"Hey… what are you doing here?" she asked.

"I was on my way back from the cleaners and I saw you talking to your boss so I decided to wait for me," I said, listing up my suit to show her.

"Ah… sheesh, I am never eating cookies, Fat Cakes, and shrimp on the same day ever again." She laughed a little bit and we began walking back to Bushwell.

"By the way," she added. "I quit my job at The Groovy Smoothie."

"What? Why? We don't leave for a few weeks. I thought you were going to wait till the week we leave to quit."

"I was." She sighed. "I decided to quit today after my shift. My graduation is tomorrow and I just want to focus on relaxing for once. I also want to focus on packing and Spencer's wedding. I have my last paycheck in this envelope"

"Oh okay. I see."

"Besides, T-Bo said that The Groovy Smoothie is such a popular place here that it's branching out and a new one will open in LA sometime next month. And I am guaranteed a spot for employment there. So I'm set."

"That's great Sam." I looked at her and smiled. She smiled back but then I noticed that hint of sadness again. I didn't want to rain on her parade because she was obviously happy about having found a job in California and the fact that she began to rub her temples and nearly fell didn't add to it.

"Whoa, are you okay?" I said.

"Yeah, I'm still a little dizzy."

"Here." I wrapped my arm around her shoulder to support her. I didn't want her to fall and I encouraged her to hold me by the waist so she could grab onto something in case she fell.

"Thanks."

Since Sam wasn't feeling too well, as soon as we got back home, I took her to her bedroom and told her to sleep. I wanted her to be well rested for her graduation. I changed her into her pajamas and tucked her into bed, kissing her forehead before leaving the room. It was only 5 in the afternoon and since I was done with finals, there are not a lot for me to do. Grabbing my suit from the living room, I walked over to my mom's bedroom to reassure her that the suit was in good condition.

Taking the suit from my hands, she squealed in excitement.

"Oh my gosh, Freddie bear. It's perfect." She took the suit from the hanger. "Here, try it on. I want to see how it looks on you."

"Mom," I groaned. "Please don't call me that."

"Just try it on."

After trying it on and having to endure dozens of more motherly yet very annoying squeals nonetheless, I got her to calm down. But it was all too good to be true when she began to cry again. I resisted the urge to groan in annoyance this time because I really dd felt bad for her.

"I can't believe you're graduating in two days, Freddie bear," she cried and pulled me into a hug, soaking my shirt immediately.

"It's okay mom." I tried to calm her down again by patting her head. That always seemed to calm her down in a stressful situation.

"I just never thought I'd see the day that my Freddie would grow up to be such a great young man with a bright future ahead of you. Don't mistake these tears for sadness. I'm really proud of you, Freddie Bear."

"Thanks a lot mom. I really appreciate it. I'm glad that I made you proud," I said sincerely.

I stepped out of my suit and I joined my mom in the kitchen to help her with dinner. We had chicken, rice, beans, and salad. It's one of my favorite dishes. As we ate, we talked a lot about the past. She told me about how she met my dad, her eyes twinkling as she reminisced. There was sadness mixed in there as well but I could tell she was happy with everything that happened despite the accident.

I felt a sense of liberation when my mom and I talked about my dad. We avoided it as much as possible after the funeral and felt really good to let it all out and to speak openly about him. Before we knew it was time go to bed. I was very happy that my mom had the morning shift instead of the night shift.

To say that I was nervous would be a major understatement. It was midnight and any type of attempt to get some sleep was useless. In just a few hours, Sam was going to graduate and my graduation was a day after hers. It was hard to believe to believe that I would never see Ridgeway on a daily basis again.

Stepping out of my room quietly, I decided to see how Sam was doing. I had a feeling she'd be asleep because she worked but I really wanted to see her since she spent the entire evening sleeping. Dinner wasn't the same without and truth be told, I missed her.

Quietly, I opened the door so I wouldn't disturb anyone. To my surprise, she was wide awake. Her arms were up and under her head as she looked out the window. The curtain was very thin. I closed the door quietly but loud enough for her to hear me. Her focus went from the window to me and she stared at me as I walked over to her bed. I kneeled down on the side of her bed so that we were at eye level.

"Hey, Sam," I whispered. "Can't sleep?"

"I think I slept enough. That nap messed me up though. I won't be able to sleep tonight." She lowered one of her arms and placed her hand on top of mine which was resting on the bed.

"Well, you should try though. Your graduation is in a few hours and you need to have a lot of energy," I said, intertwining my fingers with hers.

"Hmm… what about you? You can't sleep?" asked Sam, completely turning things around on me.

"No. I'm kind of nervous for both of our graduations," I said honestly.

"Why?"

"Because…"

"Wait," she interrupted. "Can you just sit here next to me or something. It's kind of creepy having you kneels down next to me like this. I feel like this is only appropriate for someone who is visiting someone else at the hospital."

I chuckled and moved over to the other side of the bed. I laid down next to her and pulled the covers over me. My hands were itching to hold her so I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her closer to me so that she was on her side.

"As I was saying. I'm nervous because in a few weeks, we're going to be living our life together in a new state, going to a different school, and working different jobs. Well you are. I haven't had my first job yet."

"Hm… well, if it makes you feel any better," she said as she placed her hand on my cheek and began to caress it. "I'm a little nervous too."

"I'm glad I'm not the only one."

I chuckled and nuzzled my nose on her cheek.

"Are you feeling better? Does your stomach still hurt?" I asked concernedly.

"Yup. I guess I needed to sleep it off. I'm not dizzy anymore either."

"I'm glad." I held her tighter. Neither of us spoke for a few minutes. Having her in my arms always filled me with happiness and I know she felt the exact same way. Just having the opportunity to hold her after being sick all afternoon and evening made me feel so joyous and I was so comfortable in her arms that I was beginning to drift off…

"Freddie." She nudged me and I opened my eyes, wondering why she was interrupting such a good moment between us.

"Yeah?"

"Won't your mom freak out or something."

Ah, I forgot about that. When Sam moved into our apartment, my mom didn't have a lot of rules for her to follow. But since she was very well aware about our sex life, her only rule was that we were not allowed to sneak into each other rooms. Not even if it was for cuddling or a goodnight kiss. It was just forbidden.

"Oh…" I didn't know how else to respond.

"Your mom is such a cockblock, no offense."

"Hey!" I shot her a glare but I assured her right away that I didn't take much offense to it by laughing with her.

"Stay here," she said and held me tighter, as if she didn't want to let me go. "We'll deal with your mom tomorrow."

"Okay," I obliged. I pressed my lips on her forehead and kissed her there softly.

"Goodnight, Sam."

"Goodnight."

* * *

I woke up at 5 in the morning because I did not want to deal with my mom finding out about me and Sam sleeping in the same bed. Besides, I had to go to school to pick up my cap and gown, medals, and any projects I worked on throughout the school year. I figured getting an early start on my day would be convenient for me.

Sam's bed was so warm and I didn't want to get up but I knew I had to leave the room if I wanted to save myself from a lecture. So I gently kissed her forehead and tip toed myself out of her room. I sighed in relief after I quietly closed the door but I sighed one second too soon.

I jumped the second I turned around. My mom was right in front of me with a glare that could kill even the most adorable kittens on earth. Clearly she was not happy.

"Uh.. Uh… h-h-hi mom. Good morning," I said nervously.

"Freddie," she screamed in an angry whisper. "What did I tell you?"

With her arms crossed, she walked out of the hallway and into the living room. I followed. I knew she wanted to talk about this without worrying about waking up Sam. She sat on the couch and didn't move. I knew she wanted me to sit next to her to talk. So I sat and waited for her to speak but she didn't say a word.

"I'm sorry, mom," I finally said.

"Freddie, a few hours ago, I went to check in on Sam and was surprised to find you two sleeping together. I told you specifically the day Sam moved in that there will absolutely be no sex in my house, no cuddling, no goodnight kisses. Nothing. I'm sorry, son, but I'm going to have to do something about this. I-"

"No mom, let me explain." I cut off her. I was checking up on Sam too and she was wide awake so we talked for a bit and I was so tired that I kind of just fell asleep on her bed. We didn't do anything, mom."

I was talking so fast that I didn't she understood a word I said. But she still looked like she wasn't having it.

"Tell me the truth."

"I am telling you the truth mom." Although I kind of did lie, I did not want Sam to get in trouble since she was the one who asked me to sleep with her. Besides, it's not like we had sex.

"You swear, Freddie?"

"I swear. I would not lie to you about this. Sam is my girlfriend and I think it's normal for me to worry about her."

"Alright," she said, giving in and I gave her a tight hug.

"Thanks mom."

"Not so fast, Freddie bear."

I groaned, mainly at the ridiculous nickname.

"You still disobeyed me so you and Sam will not be sitting next to each other at dinner tomorrow."

I wanted to groan and whine about it but I figured that I was off the hook so I didn't complain. I simply nodded. She was probably feeling a bit sympathetic and wanted to let us off easy because we were both graduating soon and Sam was really sick. Deep inside, I was very glad that that was it. If my mother had asked me if Sam and I actually engaged in sexual activity in the house, we would never hear the end of it. We only did it once in my apartment but that would not be okay with her.

Since it was still pretty early and I was feeling very sleepy, I decided to go back to my room and sleep an hour more. The perks of living close to Ridgeway. Sam's school starts classes earlier than Ridgeway so I knew I wasn't going to see her till after school. I plopped myself onto my bed and fell asleep instantly.

* * *

My last day of school was fun and boring at the same time. Since my classes had a mixture of different grades, meaning some sophomores and juniors were in my classes, some classes were rather empty. Luckily I wasn't alone. I had some friends in my classes and we spent it looking over our projects and thinking back on how much fun we had working on them.

When I received my cap and gown during lunch from my counselor, we had a good short talk about the future. He wished me good luck and said he was positive that I was going to succeed.

I was walking back home with Carly and Shane, who were holding hands. Despite the many projects and assignments they had in their hands, they still managed to stay connected. I was worried for a moment that they were going to fall and I caught myself wincing every few minutes.

My cap and gown were on top of my pile of old assignments and I looked at it for a moment while Carly and Shane argued over who is cuter.

"I can't believe it's all over tomorrow," I said to myself but clearly, the other two heard me.

"What do you mean?" asked Carly.

"After tomorrow, there is no more high school for us. We're actually going to get our own lives started. It's slowly hitting me."

"I've never actually thought about it that way," said Shane, looking at Carly. "Me and Carly haven't talked about what we're going to do after graduation."

"What colleges do you plan on going to?" I asked them both. They looked at each other with serious looks on their faces. It was clear that they haven't talked about their future the way Sam and I have. They've only been together for one month and they have spent it getting to know each other and I didn't think they were that serious in their relationship.

"Well, I was accepted into the University of Seattle. I think I'm going to go there because I want to stay here with Spencer. They also have a good theater arts program that I'm interested in. What about you, Shane?"

"I got accepted into various colleges, including US. I'm still not sure what I want to major in so I might take general education at a community college and then transfer. But I don't think I want to leave Seattle."

"So do you plan on staying together after high school?"

Carly looked around for a moment, really thinking about her answer. I know how deep for feelings for Shane are but she is also determined to make her dreams come true. But knowing Carly well, she always finds a way to meet everyone in the middle.

"I'd like that," she said with a smile. Shane leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.

"I'd like that too."

* * *

We stopped by Carly's apartment first because she needed to freshen up a bit. Sam's graduation was only two hours away but she still wanted to look good. Shane and I didn't feel like we needed to wear anything formal and lucky for us, Carly didn't take long to get ready.

We quickly went over to my apartment to wait for Sam. Since Sam's school always starts earlier than Ridgeway, she gets out earlier than I do too so I knew she was getting ready. The living room was empty so I figured my mom was helping Sam get ready. Or she was probably grilling her with answers about our little sleepover and telling her we can't sit together at tomorrow's dinner. I was hoping she was just helping her.

I was sitting on the big couch and Carly and Shane were on the loveseat holding hands. I heard the sound of a door opening and I stood up, waiting for Sam to come out. I felt a little nervous, kind of like prom night which was stupid of me but this was Sam's graduation and I was very excited for her. Carly and Shane stood up too.

She walked out of the hallway quickly and casually. Unlike prom, Sam wasn't dressed too fancy. She was wearing a simple black dress that stopped at her knees with a white belt wrapped around her petite waist and she was wearing flats instead of heels. She looked stunning like always.

"Wow… you look great, Sam," I complimented her and I took her hand, spinning her around and showing her off.

"Stop it," she shook my hand away playfully. "You know, ever since I started dating you, I've worm way too many dresses."

"What do you mean? You've only worn like two." I laughed.

"And that's two too many."

Sam was kind of keeping her distance and I could tell it probably had to do with my mom giving us the stink eye. So she did talk to Sam about our sleepover. I leaned in to give her an innocent hug but I used it as an excuse to ask her something.

"My mom asked you about last night, right?" I whispered into her ear. I felt her head nod against my shoulder to confirm that what I asked was true. My mom was eventually going to have to get over it because this was Sam's day and I wasn't going to keep my distance.

When I pulled back, Sam walked over to Carly and Shane who both embraced her in hugs as well. Then I noticed that Sam wasn't wearing her cap and gown.

"How come you're not wearing your cap and gown?" I asked her. She was holding them in her hands.

"Eh… my school isn't exactly the safest place so the principle wants to go through our stuff to make sure we don't sneak in weapons of beach balls."

"Ah, I see."

We all chatted for a while before we left the apartment. Carly and Shane were going to get a ride with Spencer because he wanted to go to Sam's graduation as well. I made sure to ask Carly to buy a few roses for me to give to Sam as a surprise.

* * *

Carly, Shane, my mom, Spencer, and I were sitting on the bleachers of the football field, waiting for the graduation ceremony to begin. I won't get into too many details about the graduation because let's face it, speeches are extremely boring and we didn't show our excitement until we heard Sam's name. The five of us stood up and cheered as loud as we could. Spencer even brought a whistle and blew on it obnoxiously on people's faces.

Once the ceremony was over, everyone threw their caps in the air and we made our way to the field to meet up with Sam. I spotted her looking around, her diploma in her hands. Stunning is what she looked like in her cap in gown. Every inch of my being swelled up in happiness and pride for my little blond girlfriend.

As I walked towards her, I noticed some familiar faces. Mindy, the girl that beat up Sam the day she asked me to meet her at her school was there and I observed her for a moment. What I witnessed that day is something that would not be easily forgotten and I knew she felt the same way when she saw me and her eyes widened. Of course, she recognized me and then she turned to look at Sam who was oblivious of Mindy looking at her. She didn't show any signs of remorse and it sickened me. I decided to just ignore her and continue to walk towards Sam.

I also saw Doug in the crowd. He was hanging out with some guy who I assumed were his friends when he used to attend Seattle High. Doug didn't notice me looking at him. T was rather weird seeing him again after what happened last time. He tried to come between Sam and I and he was the reason we almost didn't confess to our feelings. But I didn't feel any anger towards him. He was just like any other person in the crowd.

I finally reached Sam and I extended my arms to give her the roses I bought for her.

"Congratulations, baby," I said sweetly. She grabbed them and I leaned down to give her a slow and passionate kiss. I didn't care if people looked this time. I wanted everyone in her graduating class to see how lucky I felt to have such a wonderful woman in my life. When I pulled back, I did notice people giving us looks. I guessed that they thought of Sam as a bully and not the way I think of her. I didn't care.

"Thanks. Let's get out of here," she suggested.

"No way," sad my mother. "This is a big day and we are going to take pictures until our cameras don't work anymore."

The five of us laughed and we moved to a less crowded area to take pictures. Just like prom night, we took normal pictures and we took silly pictures. Sam's counselor and creative writing teacher even approached us and she took a few pictures with her. They congratulated her and assured her that if any universities needed letters of recommendations, that they would be glad to write one for her.

When we were done, we went back to my apartment and we all watched a few movies together until everyone went home to sleep. Sam and I were the only ones left an we were watching White Chicks.

Since we were finally alone, I placed my arm around her and she placed her head on my shoulder.

"I'm very proud of you, Sam," I said softly.

"Yeah, I know," she said, not tearing her eyes away from the tv.

"I know you don't like your school and the people in it but you proved a lot of people wrong by obtaining that diploma and you will never see them."

"You're such an optimist."

"Tomorrow is my graduation and then we will be free of high school. Then it will be just you and me."

She finally tore her eyes from the tv to look at me. She didn't smile but her eyes showed more than enough love and happiness to assure me that she was looking forward to starting our new lives in California.

"I'm tired," she said and she turned off the tv before standing up. I quickly followed her and we walked hand in hand down the hallway.

"Goodnight, cuteness," I said so it didn't feel like we were in too much of a serious environment.

She leaned towards me and we kissed before parting ways.

* * *

I woke up feeling very nervous. I was up a little earlier than normal and it was because of the flip flops my stomach was doing. A nice shower was what I needed, I figured. I turned the hot water on and let the rush of cold water run before I stepped into the shower. The steam and the hot water running down my body comforted me and I felt relaxed instantly.

There was plenty of time for me to get ready so I decided to get ready in a slow pace. My shower was very long and it was exactly what I needed. When I stepped out, I was standing in front of the mirror drying my hair with a towel. I stared at the reflection in the mirror after I dried my hair. I couldn't believe that in just a few hours, I would be down with high school. Manly is what I felt like, sort of. Even though I didn't look my age.

Many emotions overwhelmed me. I was feeling excited because I worked hard for my diploma. At the same time, I was feeling sad because in a few short weeks, I was going to leave my mom and my friends behind to advance in my education.

When I was done getting ready, I walked to the kitchen. The smell of pancakes, bacon, and eggs filled the kitchen and my stomach growled in hunger as I walked closer. My mom placed a plateful of food on the table and I sat down to eat. She joined me a few minutes later.

"So, Freddie, today is your graduation rehearsal?" asked my mom.

"Yup. We're only going to rehearse once and then I'll come back home to get ready. So I might be home by noon. Where's Sam? Is she still sleeping?"

"Yes. Poor thing has been working and going to school for the past few months and she must be exhausted. I figured we should let her sleep in and catch up on her sleep."

I nodded.

"I'm still not letting you two sit together at dinner," she added.

"Mom," I whined. "I know."

As soon as we were done eating, I washed the dishes and sat on the couch. I heard a knocking at my door and I said my goodbyes to my mom before exiting. Carly and I agreed to walk to graduation rehearsals together. As we made our way to school, we were greeted by Lewbert's annoying whines about how much he despised having people in his lobby, like always. It was something that we both dealt with everyday but for some reason, it's something that no one ever for used to. We walked out of the lobby as quickly as possible.

"I am so excited, Freddie." Carly was in a very happy mood. She was even doing her little happy dance by clapping and jumping up and down as we walked down the street.

"Me too, Carly."

"How unbelievable is this? It feels like just yesterday we were short preteens and I was actually taller than you. Now we're grown up and about to graduate. It's crazy how fast time goes by."

"You're really happy huh?"

"I am." Carly's grin was ear to ear wide.

"I'm guessing things are great with Shane?"

"Yeah. Since we're both going to college here in Seattle, we don't have to worry about dealing with a ling distance relationship. We can see each other everyday."

"I'm really happy for you." I smiled at her. "You deserve a great guy in your life and I'm glad you found him in Shane."

"Thanks. The same goes for you and Sam, you know that right?"

I nodded and hugged her from the side as we walked to school.

We finally arrived at Ridgeway and we were all told to meet outside the football field. A few teachers approached us and lead us to the baseball field where we were all lined up in alphabetical order. The line up process actually took a long time, longer than I expected.

I was happy that I wasn't alone in line. Wendy was standing right in front of me so I had someone to talk to. What didn't make me comfortable though was the fact that Wesley was standing behind me of all people.

Wesley didn't speak to me after the day I beat him up by the cemetery. Heck, he didn't even look at me. Part of me was scared that he was going to try and get revenge on me for what I did to him but every time I turned to look at him, he just looked away. He didn't look angry and vengeful. I wanted to convince myself that maybe just maybe, I earned his respect for standing up to him but I doubted it. Whatever his reason was to leave me alone, I was glad he finally did it. I turned back around and I noticed that Wendy was looking at me.

"You nervous?" asked Wendy.

"Kind of," I admitted. "It's hard to believe that we're this close to leaving this school."

"That's not what I meant." Her eyes shifted towards Wesley and I understood her question.

"Oh that… uh… not anymore. I feel a bit uncomfortable about it though."

"Don't worry about it," said Wendy as she placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks. Are you nervous? What are your college plans?"

"Hmm… I'm not as nervous as I am sad. It's going to be sad not being here for eight hours a day, talking to my girlfriends about the stuff that goes on in this school. But I was accepted in this great journalism program at US so I'll be going there."

"Oh I see. So you're going to school with Carly, huh?"

"Yup. I'm very excited to study journalism. Hopefully, I can be a VJ for MTV or something. I think I can do it."

"I know you can." This time, it was me to placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Before we could go anywhere else with our conversation, the teachers announced that it was time to rehearse. We all stepped into the football field and found our seats. The principle went through a quick summary of what was going to happen, how many speeches were going to be presented, and in what order we had to line up to get our diplomas. We even had to shake the person who was giving us our diploma a certain way.

We did this about three times before we were dismissed. Rehearsals were very boring but I had Wendy to talk to and she is a very entertaining person.

After rehearsals, I went straight home, Carly and Wendy went to the mall, and Shane said he was going to visit his grandmother. My mom said she was going to work a few short hours at the hospital and left me a voicemail saying that she wanted me to go grocery shopping for her. I decided to bring Sam along so we could bring spend the afternoon together.

* * *

After grocery shopping and putting the groceries away, I was in my graduation suit, standing in front of the mirror, fixing my bowtie. My mom was still at work so she wasn't there to help me get fixed and I was kind of glad. Sam was laying on my bed, eating some beef jerky.

"How do I look?" I turned around so she could get a better look at me.

"You look okay, I guess," she said flatly but I could feel the hint of playfulness.

"Awww," I tried to sound hurt but I failed. I practically started laughing.

"You look very handsome, boyfriend," she finally said and took a huge bite out of her jerky.

"Thank you, girlfriend." I walked over to her and gave her a quick peck.

"So at what time are we leaving?"

"As soon as my mom gets home."

As if on queue, my mom walked into the room and she was wearing a simple dress. She apologized for arriving late and explained that she got ready at the hospital so that she wouldn't waste any time at home.

I quickly put my cap and gown on and we walked over to Carly's apartment and we all drove to Ridgeway together.

Upon arriving at school, the PE area was flooded with parked cars and there were students waiting outside the baseball field to line up in our designated lines.

Once we were all settled, we were guided out into the football field where everyone's families and friends were sitting on the bleachers. Unlike the previous day, it was an extremely hot day and I felt like I was suffocating under my gown. I had to suck it up and walk to my seat with my smile on my face. I looked around the bleachers and I spotted Sam, Spencer, and my mom. Sam had a small smile on her face as she watched me walk to my seat. My mom had her camera in her hand and a tissue on the other. Spencer has his whistle.

We sat on our seats and I was talking with Wendy while we waited for the ceremony to begin.

Once the ceremony started, we were all quiet. The smartest girl in the school, Karen Yamakawa, was elected this year's class valedictorian and she gave a pretty good speech filled with humor and non of those cheesy metaphors about our step into the real world.

When all the speeches were done, it was time to receive our diplomas. When I heard my name being called, I walked up to the principle, shook his hand and then walked over to the counselor who was handing our diplomas. I shook her hand and got my picture taken before going back to our seats. I could hear Sam screaming my name and Spencer's obnoxious whistling and I couldn't help by chuckle a little bit.

After the ceremony ended, we threw our caps in the air and I gave Wendy a big hug. Wendy and I ran across the field to find Carly and we found her with Gibby an Shane. The five of us embraced each other in a tight group hug and cheered in pride.

Soon we were face to face with my mom, Sam, and Spencer. This time, Sam was the one who gave me flowers. I picked her up and spun her around as I kissed her. All nervousness was out of my system and I felt so happy to have finally graduated and have my amazing girlfriend watch me graduate.

After taking a few pictures on the football field with all of our friends, we went to Sizzler for our graduation dinner. This also counted as Sam's graduation dinner. We were on a huge table because Carly, Spencer, Shane, Gibby, Wendy, and their families were with us. And just as my mom said, I wasn't sitting next to Sam but I was sitting in front of her so I wasn't at a total loss.

Once we had our meals on the table, my mom stood up to raise a toast.

"I just wanted to say how I proud I am of each and every one of you. It feels like just yesterday that I was holding little Freddie in my arms, feeding him with a bottle. Now you're all grown adults, ready to take that step into the real world. Knowing how we raised you, I have no doubt in my mind that you will succeed in life. Congratulations."

The rest of the parents congratulated us and we all tapped our glasses together.

As we chatted and ate our meals, I looked over at Sam proudly and lovingly. We both worked hard to ear oun diplomas and in just a few weeks, we were going to start our new lives together.

* * *

**Okay, bad ending but I haven't updated in a while so I felt like I owed you guys. The ending of this chapter was a bit rushed, I believe, because I wanted to update specifically on the day that iLove You premiered. I'm late by a few hours though haha. It's currently 1:30 in the morning.**

**Anyways, what did you guys think of iLove You. I know a lot of people are a bit upset about it but I actually really loved the episode. I mean, yes it was very sad but at the same time, I loved the character development. The Seddie break up wasn't like the Creddie break up. Now we know that Sam and Freddie do indeed love each other and what loved about that scene was that Freddie said it first. The writers handled the scene perfectly and it gives us hope that Seddie might be endgame by the end of the series. I really hope so.**

**So… please let me know what you think of this chapter. I think it was cute. It wasn't too loaded with Seddie. Now, there are three chapters left. The next chapter will be a bit more fun filled than most of my chapters. I'm going to step away from all the seriousness because Sam and Freddie will go to Six Flags to have fun and relax after a crazy school year. I hope you like it.**

**Until next time, take care guys.**

**PS. If you're on tumblr or twitter, please follow me. My Tumblr is MissSteffy and my Twitter is Steffy213. And please check out my recent stories. I wrote a two shot called iTalk to Carly and a one shot called Working Things Out. Thanks.**


	35. Chapter 34: Amusement Park

**Hey guys. You have no idea how incredibly sorry I am for taking yet another whole semester to update. I honestly lost my inspiration and nothing I came up with was what I imagined in my head. I really hope you guys haven't forgotten me.**

**I promise that now that I am in winter break, I will update as soon as I can.**

**I hope you enjoy this cute chapter. It's not very long so please bare with me.**

* * *

I waited impatiently as Freddie drove us to the amusement park. My legs were shaky and I was constantly asking him if we were there yet as if I was a child but that is exactly what I became the minute I woke up. I was an eager child, waiting to get to the amusement park to have some fun. I'm sure I annoyed Freddie the whole car ride there but he didn't complain much and as much as I love him, I did not care. Freddie inspired me to be better but being the better person did come with a price.

I gave up my carefree lifestyle and I suddenly became more responsible. Being with Freddie and having my own money instead of relying on my mother or stealing from other people is a good feeling but I missed having fun. The last thing I wanted was to become depressed. I think that despite being annoyed with my constant nagging, he was equally excited, not for him but for me. Freddie loves that we live together and that my job used to be so close but I know he never wanted me to give up having fun.

We finally arrived at Six Flags after almost an hour trying to find a parking spot (A/N: When I went to six flags, it didn't take long so let's just say it took Sam and Freddie forever xD). I jumped out of the car and stretched my legs. Freddie was sure as hell taking his sweet time and I just wanted to go in already.

"Duuuude, hurry up," I whined.

"Be patient Sam. I have to make sure we have everything here with us. We don't want to leave anything in the car."

"Ughhh. What do we need?" I asked.

"Patience, Sam," he said again. "Money, check. Tickets, check. Deodorant, check. Sunscreen, check. We have everything. Now let's go."

He teased me with that smirk of him before stretching his hand so that I could take it. I took his hand and ran, dragging him until we were out of the parking lot and in the actual amusement park. I couldn't help but laugh out loud at the silly people who actually waited in line to buy tickets when they could have just purchased them online for a lot less. Some people stared at me but I didn't care.

I looked at the map and examined it.

"Freddie? You're not afraid of roller coasters right?" I asked him as I continued to read information on every big roller coaster.

"I wouldn't know. I've never been on a roller coaster before," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"WHAT?" I said, dramatically. I was actually shocked. When I was little, besides teaching me to play guitar, my dad took me to the amusement park all the time and the huge roller coasters were my favorites. Melanie hated them so she always stayed at home playing with her dolls.

"What's the big deal?"

"Oh no, Freddie. Promise me right here right now that you will ride every single roller coaster with me."

"What if I don't like them?"

"Don't be such a little girl. You never know unless you try."

I watched him hesitate a little bit as he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand until he sighed and took both of my hands in his.

"I promise but if I die, it will be your fault," he smiled and pulled me into a tight hug.

We walked hand in hand silently as I looked for one of my favorite rides. My memory was a bit rusty because ever since my mom lost her job a few years ago, we stopped doing some of my favorite things and that included going to Six Flags.

When we finally found it, we stood in line. As we waited, I wondered why Freddie never rode a roller coaster before but at the same time, I felt like the answer was pretty obvious. Still, I needed to ask.

"So why have you never ridden a roller coaster before?"

"Eh, you know my mom," he shrugged. "She's always been protective of me and she always imagines the worst. She was always afraid that I would get stuck, fall off, or that a screw might fall and I'd die. I'm surprised she didn't object today."

"Aww," I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Well, you are going to like them a lot."

"I'm actually a bit nervous," he confessed.

"Well you better like them because you promised," I said and unwrapped myself from him.

The line moved pretty fast and before we knew it, we were on. I decided to take him to Colossus since it's not a huge ride but it's thrilling enough to give you a rush. As we sat down and secured ourselves, I felt Freddie's hand holding mine very tightly and he was shaking slightly.

"Don't be scared," I said, trying to be as comforting as I can. Comforting people was never my thing but in Freddie's case, I didn't hesitate to rub the back of his hand with my thumb.

We were slowly going up and I could feel his grip on me getting tighter. I almost sort of felt guilty for making him promise me but I didn't because the moment we dropped, he let go and threw his hands up, screaming. They weren't screams of fear but screams that anyone who loves roller coaster makes.

I closed my eyes and threw my hands up in the air, feeling completely happy to be free, to be without worries. It felt really good to forget everything that happened in the last months and just enjoy myself without feeling too bad about losing my parents.

When the ride is over, I jumped off and pulled Freddie aside.

"So, what did you think?" I asked as I fixed my hair which was a mess after that ride. He didn't respond right away. He seemed a bit zoned out but he snapped out of it eventually.

"Wow," he breathed out. "That was AWESOME. Let's ride it again.

I chuckled as he dragged me back in line.

We went on every big roller coaster, one after the other and we didn't stop to take a break. To say that I was tired was a major understatement and it wasn't until the last major roller coaster that I realized we didn't even have lunch so we stopped at Johnny Rockets to rest and eat.

"I'm buying," said Freddie. "What are you having?"

"Oh… I want a double cheeseburger with bacon on it, some fries, and a chocolate milkshake."

"Surprise surprise," he replied sarcastically.

"You know I can't function without bacon. Besides, I'm starving. After this, we'll ride the less intense rides okay?"

"Cool," he said and reached for my hand. "I'm having a lot of fun with you, Sam."

"Trust me, Freddie, I am having the time of my life."

As we ate, we talked a lot bout the rides and which ones we wanted to ride again. My day became instantly better when Freddie promised to take me to Disneyland once we are settled in California.

Three double cheeseburgers later, I was finished and I rested my head on the table. All the food made me sleepy so we decided to rest up a bit before going on any rides. We weren't running around trying to get on every ride possible. We walked slowly hand in hand for a while just taking in the sights that Six Flags has to offer. I felt at home being with Freddie there, observing every part of the amusement park. Actually, Freddie and I could be looking through garbage bins together and I'd feel at home with him. He had that effect on me.

We continued walking when I noticed something that wasn't there the last time I visited Six Flags. It was a dancing game called Dance Dance Revolution. Just when I thought I told Freddie everything about me, I never told him that I am pretty good at dancing but I never took it seriously so it kind of slipped my mind and I never told him. I lead him towards the small crowd of people and when the two people battling were done, I stood on one platform and another girl stood on the other.

"What are you doing Sam?" asked Freddie with a confused look on his face.

"Just watch," I said confidently.

The song started and I followed every step. The girl beside me was very good and I was a bit rusty but not rusty enough to lose. I quickly caught on. I shuffled, I spun around, and threw my arms all over the place. Soon enough, I developed a love for dance that I spent over an hour battling random people and I won every time. When I was beginning to get tired, I stepped down and the once small crowd became huge and they were all cheering for me. I tried to catch my breath as I watched everyone cheering for me and patting my back. I was never used to that kind of attention, at least not the good kind of attention and it felt really nice. I could hear Freddie telling everyone that I am his girl, showing me off and we left the crowd and found a bench to sit on.

I was completely out of breath, my face was hot, and I was drenched in my own sweat. Freddie handed me a water bottle that we bought earlier and I chugged it, relieving the dryness in my throat the burning in my lungs. I am sure a lot of people thought I was going to pass out when they saw me walk towards the bench but I felt good. It wasn't like those awful times in PE where I would run the mile and I'd feel like I was about to die any moment. I was tired but I felt happy.

After finally catching my breath and wiping some of the sweat with a towel Freddie brought along, I turned to him.

"Wow," he looked at me with wide eyes. "That was incredible."

"You think so? Dancing is not really my thing…"

"Are you kidding? Sam, you're so talented, it blows me away. You can sing, write songs, play the guitar, and not to mention, you can take down any guy here. On top of that, you can dance too. Is there anything you can't do?"

I simply shrugged my shoulders and leaned to the side so that I could rest my head on Freddie's shoulder a little while.

* * *

After an intense day riding the big roller coasters and all the dancing I did, we decided to go on the smaller rides before heading home. We first decided to get on the Ninja ride. It's a fun ride but not intense enough to make us scream.

After Ninja, I saw the sandblasters and I dragged Freddie by the hand so we could get on. I got on a purple car and Freddie got on a blue one. When we heard the horn, immediately dashed towards Freddie and slammed into him.

"Sam!" he whined.

"Oh shut up. You know you love it," I winked at him and slammed my car against his again.

"Oh you're on, Puckett," he threatened and I turned to get away from him.

I tried to go as fast as I could but the speed that the cars were capable of were very limited. I got around in zig zags to try and avoid Freddie but it was no use. All of a sudden, I was bumped into by Freddie pretty hard that my head went back and forth pretty roughly. I turned around to look at him and we both laughed a little too hard. Then, the cars slowed down and it was time to get off.

After sandblasters, we noticed that it was getting dark. Despite being high school graduates, practically adults (at least on my part because Freddie was yet to turn 18) but Mrs. Benson wanted us home early. She said that as long as we were living under her rood, we had to obey her and the last time we disobeyed her, she was pretty pissed off and the last thing I wanted was for her to do something crazy. Besides, she wanted us to be well rested so we could finish packing and get the last minute details on Spencer's wedding done.

Freddie and I agreed on getting on one more ride before heading back to the car. Freddie wanted to go on the merry go round but I thought it was a bit too cheesy for my liking despite the fact that Freddie turned me into such a fruit cocktail the moment we began to date. I wanted to go on something that was relaxing, romantic but not gag worthy, and fun at the same time. We finally agreed on the swashbuckler which is a spinning swing set and the swings are very long so you go very high.

We sat on our swings, Freddie on the swing behind me and we waited for lift off. As we slowly rose, I looked around me and took in the view. It was completely dark and I could see many city lights. I guess being a city girl, I always enjoyed the way city lights looked. Then, I closed my eyes and threw my head back in contentment and I just let the ride spin around as I enjoyed the feeling of the wind blowing through my hair.

I kept my eyes closed until the ride was completely over and Freddie and I walked back to the car. We were both tired so we didn't say much the whole ride home but like any other silences that we fall into, I felt completely comfortable.

* * *

We arrived back home just in time and we were expecting Freddie's mom to be on the couch in the living room to ask us how our day went and to go to bed right after but the place was empty. I ran towards the kitchen to get some leftover ham from the night before and I noticed a paper on the fridge's door. Mrs. Benson was always so old fashion. Instead of texting Freddie like any normal person, she liked writing letters and leaving notes on the fridge. The note said that she got called to go back to the hospital because there was an emergency.

"Ugh…," I groaned. "We could have stayed longer."

Freddie didn't say anything as I read the note but not too long after, I felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around my waist from behind after one of them placed my hair on one side. I felt a pair of soft warm lips on the back of my neck. I leaned back and closed my eyes, reveling in his touch.

"Did you have fun?" he whispered as he planted butterfly kisses on my neck.

I turned around so that I was facing him.

"What do you think?" I chuckled and I leaned forward until our lips came in contact. His arms tightened around me and pulled me closer as we deepened the kiss. It's not every day we were able to do this in the house apart from Freddie's room but as much as I hated to pull away, we had to pull away soon because there was a high chance Freddie's mom could barge in any moment and threaten us with a cruel and unusual punishment.

"I'm going to shower," I said and took a piece of ham from the fridge. "AFTER I eat this."

He laughed.

"Goodnight, Sam," he said and pulled me for one quick kiss.

"Goodnight."

After having my ham, I headed straight for the shower. I was beyond sweaty and normally this wouldn't bother me but I felt like I bathed in sweat and I was feeling incredibly disgusting. I turned the warm water on and let the rush of cold water go through before getting on.

As I showered, I thought about how much fun I had at Six Flags. The trip was exactly what I needed to lift all of my concerns off of my chest. It felt good to let go and have fun without worrying about how much my life is going to change once me and Freddie move out and start providing for ourselves completely. I didn't think about the wedding which was something that was really stressing me out because of how freaked out Spencer was.

After the wedding, I would be out of Seattle and into our new apartment in Los Angeles. Time was going by so fast and I wanted to enjoy my time left in Seattle as much as possible. I smiled as it finally hit me that everything was finally going my way and I finally figured out what it is to be happy.

* * *

**Cheesy ending.**

**Again, I apologize for taking forever to update. I am kind of disappointed in myself for neglecting fan fiction for so long but I hope you guys understand.**

**This chapter was rather short but I promise the next two are going to me longer. Besides, there are only TWO more chapters left and this story will be dunzo. I believe it's been about two years since I first started this story. WOW, I can't believe it.**

**The next chapter will focus on the wedding and Freddie will begin to think of what life with Sam as a married couple will be like. I will update this story by next week. I also have another story in the works called Life After You and unlike this story, my other one will be 15 chapters long and it will have more comedy.**

**I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and I hope your New Years Eve is just as amazing.**

**Take care.**

**PS. I wanted to clear something up. In the last chapter, Sam got sick and threw up a lot. I just want to clear any confusion. Sam is not pregnant. I really don't want to touch the topic of pregnancy in any of my stories because they have been used a lot and I wouldn't know how to write it anyways lol. xD**


	36. Chapter 35: My BFF's Brother's Wedding

**Hey guys, thanks for the kind reviews even though it wasn't much. I still appreciate it. This is the second to last chapter so I decided to add little something something that this story has been lacking for a while. No relationship is worth it. There is conflict and arguments and there is definitely going to be some conflict here.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

I was in the living room, ironing the suit I was going to wear to Spencer's wedding. Time was going too fast for my liking lately. We were one day away from Spencer's wedding and not long after that, me and Sam would be leaving Seattle to start our new lives together. It hasn't hit me yet but I was also so stressed out. The packing process was tiring and stressful on its own but we had so much to do before leaving. I had to deal with a stressed out Spencer, rehearsals, helping the wedding planner, and getting other stuff sorted out before the big move.

I was like a girl during her time of the month. Anything and everything was getting on my nerves. I couldn't even have the TV on because it just made me anxious. Also, the fact that Sam has been nothing but lazy lately made me even more angry. I was working hard to get everything to work out smoothly and in our favor but she didn't do anything. I had such an amazing time with Sam at Six Flags but after that, she kind of stopped doing anything around the house. She wasn't done packing. If anything, her room was messier. I wanted to scream but I held myself back because it wasn't her fault. I was just so stressed that it could have been a pigeon who was getting yelled at by me because of it.

The shirt was done and it was time to iron the pants. My mom wanted everyone to look perfect for the wedding. She was always a sap when it comes to weddings. Maybe it was her old fashioned ways but she always got teary eyed when watching romantic movies that involved weddings. I didn't blame her for wanting us to look our best.

When I was done, I noticed that Sam was laying on the couch with her guitar on her stomach and a notebook on her lap with a pencil on it. She started strumming her guitar, experimenting a few times before she wrote something something down. She was also muttering a few things to herself. She was writing a song. As much as I wanted to just sit next to her and watch her do something she cares so much about, I had to iron more clothes.

"Hey, Sam?"

"Hm?" she said, not really paying attention to me.

"Are you going to iron your dress?" I asked, wanting her to do something other than write songs all day. Don't get me wrong, I love when she gets lost on her songwriting. Her eyes become so focused and she just looks so beautiful when she is int he zone, but all this stress was making even the most beautiful things irritating.

"I'll do it later," she said and sat up. She placed her guitar down carefully and closed her notebook. I watched her as she went to the kitchen to get a snack and then lay back down on the couch.

"Um... Sam? You know, we still have other thing we need to pack. We're leaving soon. We don't want to stress at the last minute," I suggested.

"It's okay, Freddie. I got this..."

I tried to shrug it off and focus on ironing my mom's dress. She was busy with work and she didn't have time to fix her dress. The ironing, however did not distract me. Everything was annoying me. Everything was happening so fast. I just wanted more time to get all the wedding preparations ready and everything packed. I didn't want to leave anything behind like my letters of recommendation, my transcripts, the keys to the new apartment which were mailed to us not so long ago, and so much more.

Sam turned on the tv and just the low volume was enough to make me explode. She flipped the channels so often and I could hear her chew her food so loudly. Even her laugh, which I laugh so much, annoyed the crap out of me and I wasn't having it anymore.

"SAM! STOP IT" I yelled.

She jumped because I startled her and she stood up to look at me.

"What the hell Freddie?"

"Look around you Sam," I said pointing at all the boxes around us. "We leave in just a few days. The wedding is TOMORROW and you haven't done anything, your room is a mess, and you are not done packing. You haven't even fixed your dress. Will you please stop being lazy and DO SOMETHING!"

Before I realized what I had done, I noticed how Sam's chest was moving up and down from the heavy breathing. I must have looked like a madman. I was just so stressed and I needed to let my anger out somehow. She winced and she went from surprised to downright angry at me.

"Sam, I..." she didn't let me explain. She stormed out of the living and I heard the loud bang of her slamming the door to her room shut.

What did I just do?

I was so angry at myself. The one person who accepted me and loved me for me was hurt because of me. All she ever did was help toughen me up, she pushed me to face my fears, and most importantly, she was always there for me when I needed someone to be there for me. I wanted to bang my head against the wall until I was unconscious. Everything was going so well, so perfect and I screwed it all up.

* * *

I got out of bed feeling miserable. I barely slept. It was just stress after stress but forget all that. Sam refused to talk to me after I snapped at her and I didn't blame her. I hated myself too but that last thing I wanted was for her to change her mind about me and leave at me right before the big move. I needed her in my life more than anything but what was I to do? I have never yelled at a female like that. I was completely clueless.

I tried to forget about it for a moment as I showered and got ready but my thoughts always lead to Sam. As I looked at myself in the mirror, I just wanted to throw a rock at my reflection. I couldn't even stand to look at myself. That's how much I regretted snapping at Sam. I was wearing a very expensive tux in a very nice color. My hair was slicked back just like my mom wanted. I must admit, I didn't look too bad but none of it mattered.

There was a knock on the door and for a moment, I smiled thinking that it might have been Sam to tell me that she wasn't mad at me but it was just my mom.

"Ohhh... honey you look so handsome," she squealed in joy and pulled me in for a hug.

"Thanks mom. I styled my hair just how you wanted me to."

"I know and it looks amazing. Breakfast is ready. Don't be late."

"I won't mom. Just give me a few minutes."

"Okay, sweetie but first, I need to ask you something."

Oh no, she was going to ask me about me and Sam.

"What is it?" I asked, trying to act like I didn't know what she was going to tell me.

"What happened between you and Sam?" You guys are usually always so cuddly and last night, you two didn't even speak to each other. Did you two fight?"

I sighed and sat on the toilet seat, my face buried in my hands.

"Mom, I yelled at Sam. I was so stressed that I took it all out on her and now she doesn't want to talk me."

"Oh Freddie bear..." I felt her hand rubbing my back, trying to comfort me. "I know there is a lot on your plate right now but you can't have a breakdown every time you are feeling stressed. Once you are on your own, you're going to have to pay your own bills, clean the entire apartment, cook, work, study, and trust me when I say that it will be overwhelming but that's what it's like to be an adult living on your own. You and I both know that Sam doesn't really like showing weakness and it takes time for her to budge so just give her some time to recover, okay?"

"Okay, mom. Thanks," I said, giving her a half smile. I stood up and gave her a quick hug.

"Anytime, sweetie. Now go to the table and eat your breakfast. We have a long day ahead of us."

Breakfast was incredibly awkward. My mom wanted me to give Sam some time to let the anger subside but Sam wasn't having it. She still didn't want to talk to me even after I greeted her with a good morning. I also tried to give her a hug but she stood still and didn't return it. As we ate, my mom tried to make small talk to let the awkward on the table go away but it was no use. Sam didn't even look at me.

Both my mom and I were dressed and ready to go but Sam was still in her pajamas. However, her hair and make up were done so I wasn't that bothered but I still felt like she wasn't wearing her dress on purpose to bother me. It turned out that she really wasn't trying to get on my nerves because after breakfast, she excused herself and told my mom that she was going to finish getting ready at Carly's house.

* * *

After breakfast, I got in the car with my om and we drove to the church. The place was filling up quickly. Shane, Spencer, and I along with the rest of the guys were in a room separate from all the females.

"Oh god, I can't remember the last time I was this nervous," said Spencer as he paced back and forth.

"Calm down, man. You're making me dizzy," Shane said.

"You guys don't get it. After today, I will officially be a married man. You guys know me. I've never really been committed to anything other than art. This is huge for me. What if I screw up? What if I can't handle this and I end up pushing her away?"

"Calm down Spencer." I grabbed him by the shoulders to stop him from moving. "Vanessa loves you, okay? No relationship is perfect. There will be some tough times but no way would she leave you. She's crazy about you."

"And I'm crazy about her too. I just can't help these things. Out of everyone she could have gone out with, she chose me. She's perfect and I'm me. I'm clueless, childish, and I always seem to set everything on fire... literally!"

I couldn't help but laugh at his little freak out. Spencer was a lucky man, no doubt about that. We sat him down on a chair and made fans out of paper to fan him and cool him off despite how cold the room was. He was sweating and the last thing he wanted was to kiss his bride with sweat running down his face. All too soon, it was time for the ceremony to start. We all walked out and got in place as we waited for the bride to arrive.

The traditional wedding song came on and everyone in their seats turn around to watch. The flower girl was Vanessa's cute little niece. She had a crown made of flowers around her head. I smiled at how cute and innocent she looked and then I looked up and I could feel my heart pounding hard against my chest. I could have sworn others heard it a mile away. Vanessa looked beautiful in her wedding gown and her how happy she looked, holding on to her dad's arm. But I wasn't focused on Vanessa. That was all Spencer. The beating of my heart kept accelerating and my face was warming. I couldn't believe how beautiful and angelic Sam looked in her bridesmaid dress. Sure, Carly and Wendy were wearing the exact same thing but it looked so much better on Sam. I remember Sam telling me that Vanessa didn't want her bridesmaids to wear ugly dresses just so she could one up them when it come to looks. She wanted them to look gorgeous too and man, did Sam look gorgeous.

She was wearing a very light pink dress that was a bit shorter than her prom dress. She was showing a lot more thigh than I was used to and it was tight. The dress hugged her curves perfectly. Her hair was straight from the top and wavy from the bottom, her bangs framed her face perfectly. Her make up was amazing as well. She looked natural with little hints of peach blush and light pink lip gloss. I just wanted to to run up to her and kiss those lips, to taste that lip gloss and finally figure out whether it was strawberry or bubble gum.

For a moment, and I know it may sound silly, I actually felt like I was the one who was getting married. Like I was the groom, feeling completely blown away at my soon to be wife's beauty. Then it hit me, I always wanted to be with Sam for the rest of my life but marriage was something that I didn't think much of, mainly because we were barely entering adulthood. Sam had barely turned 18 and I was still 17. We were so young so the thought never crossed my mind. But I began to imagine what life with Sam would be like if we were married.

She'd be wearing a really long white dress with thin straps. Her hair would be up in a ponytail but her bangs would still cover her forehead perfectly. Spencer would be the one walking her down the aisle, giving her away because he was the closest thing to a father since the death of hers. I'd kiss her like I have never kissed her before in front of everyone to let them know that I was the luckiest man in the world.

Then I'd carry her bridal style to our incredibly fancy and luxurious hotel room where we would spend our first night as a married couple together and although we had done it before, it would be just as amazing and heartfelt as the first time, full love and sincerity.

I must have dozed because when I snapped back to reality, Sam glared at me quickly and then looked down. I must have made her uncomfortable because then I realized that I was staring at her the whole time as I pictured the day and night of our wedding together.

I didn't deserve her. She was so cool and street smart. There were tons of guys out there better for her and yet, she stayed with me. The talk I had with Spencer earlier before the ceremony started began to make so much more sense to me. I was so afraid that Sam was going to leave me for snapping her the way I did but we have been through so much together for it end like that. She reminded me every day that she was in love with me. Her kisses always left my lips tingling even after all these months. Every day she reminded me that I was completely in love her too. All she had to do was smile and I was in love all over again. No one has ever made me feel that way and I wasn't going to let my foolishness tear us apart. I was going to give her time but I also needed to let her know that me snapping at her was not her fault. It was my stupid fault for letting everything get to me. She needed to be reminded that I wasn't going anywhere and I wasn't going to let her give up on me so easily.

After Spencer and Vanessa said their "I do's" everyone clapped and I noticed that a lot of people were crying. Carly was crying her eyes out as Wendy and Sam tried to comfort her. Now I understood why girls found weddings so beautiful and emotional. The day Sam and I get married, it's going to be a crazy emotional day.

Everyone stepped out of the church and everyone who was part of the wedding got on a limo and we headed to the park to take some pictures for the photo album. Sam still wasn't talking to me and I could tell she was trying to avoid me. Despite the beautiful day and everyone's faces full of smiles, it was obvious that she wasn't in the greatest mood. Her smile was forced when we took pictures and when she wasn't the one posing in front of the camera, she sat by the big water fountain. I wondered what she was thinking of, if she was thinking of me the way I was thinking of her. It was so hard to not run up to her hold her in my arms but my mom's voice kept haunting me. I had to give her more time. But not too much time.

Everything was going get cleared at the reception.

* * *

The reception was being held at the Bushwell Plaza. Right by the lobby was a big dining room that was designed for special events such as sweet 16s or weddings. It was a lot less expensive for people who actually lived in Bushwell. I spent the entire day giving Sam time to recover and it was time to talk to her.

Everyone was busy either dancing on the dance floor or eating. Sam, of course, was eating. She had a big plate of marshmallows and strawberries covered in chocolate from the chocolate fountain. I think she even managed to sneak some bacon in and covered it in chocolate as well. Her hand was under her chin, supporting her head. She was eating marshmallow after marshmallow.

Okay, this was it. I had to get her to listen to me. She was sitting all by herself. Carly and Wendy were on the dance floor. Wendy was dancing with some guy I have never seen in my life and Carly was dancing with Shane. Of course, they had to keep it PG because Spencer was watching them.

With my hands in my pockets, I walked over to Sam who didn't notice that I was walking towards her because she was so focused on the comfort food. I pulled out a chair and sat next to her. The music was kind of loud so I placed my hand on her shoulder to get her attention but she instantly pulled back.

"Can we talk please?" I said loudly.

"About what?" Good. She was talking to me. That's a start.

"About us and about what happened yesterday. I need you to listen to me, please. I'm begging you," I said as I inched closer to her ear so she could listen to me. She hesitated but she knew it as well as me that we couldn't avoid it.

She nodded and I lead her out of the big dining room. The closest place that had any kind of privacy was the bathroom right next to the room. It wasn't a small bathroom but it wasn't huge. It was designed for only one person to use but there was a small waiting area too. What I liked was that the bathroom was very clean. It wasn't dirty like most public restrooms. We walked to the waiting area and Sam stood in front of her with her arms crossed.

"Are you still mad at me?" I asked.

"What do you think?" she responded sarcastically.

"Sam, I want you to know that everything I said to you last night were things I didn't mean. You have to believe me."

"Really? Because you were very specific, Freddie." She rolled her eyes.

"Agh, I was just so stressed. Do you know scared I am right now? We have so much going on right now and so little time. I kind of just exploded. I could have gone off on my mom or Carly but unfortunately, it was you and I regret it from the bottom of my heart."

"What do you mean?" she asked as she uncrossed her arms. "What are you scared of?"

"I am so overwhelmed with the fact that we are going to be living on our own in a few days. We're not going to depend on my mom to clean or to cook meals for us. It's going to be just us. I was stressed over college and I don't know, every little thing was annoying me. I was ready to blow. Me being stressed out has nothing to do with the fact that you were just hanging around. I just felt like I had so much to do and so little time. Please forgive me Sam. I didn't mean to snap at you. Please don't leave me over mt stupidity." I was practically begging her but I needed her to know that everything I said was completely true.

"Wait, what?" She looked confused. "You thought I was going to leave you?"

I nodded.

"Freddie, I am pissed as hell for what you did but what makes you think that I would just leave you like that?"

"I don't know... I thought that because you didn't talk me all day yesterday and all day today that you were done with me."

"You're crazy, Freddie. Yes, what you said kind of struck a nerve but there is no way in hell that I'm leaving you."

"Really?" I smiled. "You still love me after what I said?"

"How stupid are you Freddie?" I felt her hand go to face. "I love you so much that leaving you is just not an option. Just... talk to me okay? Don't snap at me. I'm not good with confrontation..."

"I promise baby," I said and I pulled her to me, giving her the most intense kiss I could ever give her. Our bodies collided and I placed one of my hands on her hip while the other one was on the back of her head to keep her from pulling away.

I couldn't control myself. Those 24 hours that we spent not talking to each other, not being able to hold and kiss each other were enough to drive me crazy and I needed her to keep me from losing my mentality. I pushed her back gently until her back hit wall then my hands proceeded to sliding up and down from her waist to her hips over and over again.

Our lips never separated. They were deprived from each other for so many hours that I couldn't bring myself to pull away no matter how much I needed to breath. I needed to feel her lips on mine. I was starting to feel a little dizzy so I pulled away and I immediately began to kiss her neck but I was gentle as I could because the last thing I wanted was for her to walk around with love bites all over. Her hands were gripping my shoulders as I continued to kiss all over her neck.

When I finally caught my breath, I didn't hesitate to attack her lips again. Her lips parted immediately and out tongues met. I wanted to taste every inch of he rmouth, to wipe all that lip gloss from her pink lips. The sweet taste of strawberry coated my mouth, making the kiss that much more enjoyable. As we continued to kiss, I felt her leg rub against mine until it was wrapped around my leg. I took that as an opportunity to place my hand on her thigh and slide it upward a little. The shortness of her dress gave me perfect access to her thighs. Before I knew it, both of my hands were on her thighs and I pulled her legs upward until they were wrapped around my waist. Her arms were tight around my neck as we continued to kiss like there was no tomorrow.

Then I remembered that the small waiting area had a couch so I quickly made my way there and I laid Sam down. I pulled my lips from her for a little while to look at her closely. Her lips were swollen and they looked like they were going to have a bruise in just a few minutes. Her beautiful blue eyes were half open and her breathing was very heavy.

"You are so beautiful," I whispered to her then I lowered myself down until my body was pressed against hers. He legs went back to being wrapped around my waist and my hands went back to her thighs.

Sam and I were never like this. Every time we made love, it was soft, sincere, and full of romance. There was none of that kinkiness that you see on most television shows. This was so new to us but it felt right. I felt like I knew what I was doing because she loved everything that I was doing to her and I love everything that she was doing to me. Her hands caressing my cheeks then going through my hair. I moaned every time I felt her back arch as if we couldn't get any closer to each other.

This was the first time Sam and I have ever done anything in a public place. Yes, technically we were still home and the door was locked but every time we did it, it was always in a private place like our first time which was at Sam's place, then the hotel room after prom, and when we would sneak into my room but nothing like this. Maybe that was the reason why were so aggressive with each other or maybe it had to do with the fact that I was so busy and stressed and not being able to spend any time with Sam because she was so mad at me.

I pulled away to watch her as she tried to unzip my jeans. My eyes never leaving hers. When she succeeded, I lowered my face towards her.

"I love you so much, Sam," I whispered in her ear as I captured her lips once again.

* * *

We walked out of the bathroom hand in hand with a big smile on my face. Sam nudged me a little, not wanting to give away the fact that we had sex in the waiting room of a public restroom but I was just happy that I was able to hold her hand again, to hold her close to me, and to possibly have a dance with her before the reception was over. Lucky for us, everyone was gathered around the cake as Spencer and Vanessa cut the first slice.

I grabbed a few slices for me and Sam and we sat down to eat it. When we were done, the DJ began to play slower songs. This was the perfect opportunity to ask Sam to dance with me. I stood up and extended my arm towards her.

"Sam, will you dance with me?" I asked her softly but loud enough for her to hear me.

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at me for a moment she before she took my hand and lead me to the dance floor. Her eyes never left mine on our way there. When we reached an empty spot on, her arms immediately went around my neck and I placed mine firmly on her waist, puling her gently towards me until our bodies made contact. Our eyes were still locked and I smiled at her. Her beauty never failed to take my breath away. I remembered when we were barely getting to know each other and I felt very hesitant to admit that she was cute, let alone beautiful because of the differences in our personalities. But now, I never hesitated to remind her everyday that her beauty is mesmerizing and that to me, she was more beautiful with each passing day.

We broke eye contact when I noticed that she lowered her head so that it was resting on the crook of my neck. From the corner of my eyes, I could see that her eyes were closed as if she was savoring the moment. It must have been hard for Sam too, to stay away from me and not talk to me like it was for me too. It was such a struggle for me to not speak to her but I'm glad that I gave her the time she needed. If I was forceful, it would result in me only pushing her further away and she wouldn't be in my arms again. I lowered my head and closed my eyes too as we swayed to the beat of the song.

"Sam?" I whispered in her ear, my eyes still close. "Do you picture yourself ever marrying me?"

I felt the need to ask her because of that vivid daydream I had during the wedding ceremony.

She lifted her head so that she was looking at me.

"Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering, trying to visualize what our wedding day would be like. If you were wondering why I was staring at you during the ceremony, it's because I was wondering what it would be like to be your husband. You took my breath away when you walked down the isle with Carly and Wendy that I felt like I was the groom waiting for his wife to be."

"Freddie," she said softly. "You changed a lot in me. Before any of this happened, I never even considered marriage with anything because the last guy I dated was such an asshole. I always figured that dating someone and living with them was more than enough. Commitment was never my thing. But... you came along and you changed my views on so many things..."

"What are you saying?" I asked her. I was sort of worried that she would say that she didn't want to marry sometime in the future.

"What I'm saying is that, we're still young but when we're older, I would love to call myself Sam Benson someday. Right now, let's just have fun."

I couldn't believe my ears. I pulled her closer to me, hugging her tightly. The girl of my dreams basically confirmed that she would love to marry me some day and that little moment gave me hope. It made me realize that no matter what problems we would face in the future, it was no match against the strength of our love.

We continued to dance together until the night was over.

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**Aw... how cute was that? Personally, this is one of my all time favorite chapters. I honestly thought that I wasn't going to be able to write a good fight but I needed to keep it a bit realistic.**

**I am feeling very bittersweet right now because the next chapter is the very last one. I have been working on this story for two years and I can't believe that it's coming to an end soon. The next chapter will basically be Sam and Freddie saying their goodbye's before moving to California.**

**So please review and let me know what you think. **

**Take care guys.**

**PS. I created a Seddie inspired playlist that consists of some of my favorite songs. I posted a link on my profile if you want to download it. While you are at it, follow me on Tumblr. MissSteffy**


	37. Chapter 36: Goodbye Seattle

**Hey guys. So this is the last chapter. WOW. What can I say? I am so proud of myself for committing to this story despite the fact that people don't warm up well to AU fics. But I"m glad that you guys gave it a chance and gave me 400 amazing reviews. I can't believe it. That is way more than expected.**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoy this last chapter.**

**This chapter is dedicated to my good friend Stef aka Kpfan72491. She is the first friend I've made here in FFnet and is such a great person to talk to. We'd spend hours talking about our Seddie predictions haha. Thanks for being such a cool chick. Also big shout out to Geekquality for being my 400th reviewer. You're amazing.**

* * *

We had exactly two days until the big move to California. My life changed so much in less than a year, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. I didn't want to do anything. I just wanted to soak in some ME time, relax, and live a stress free life at least for a few days before we moved on to a busier lifestyle. Before my parents died, I lived a pretty carefree lifestyle but there were still some worries. I worried about not having any money for food so I stole to keep my stomach full and sure, I was greedy because I love food and I will always love food, especially ham and bacon, but I needed to do it so I wouldn't starve. My dad's paycheck alone wasn't enough to support us. When I finally got a job making smoothies, I was stressed about annoying customers and not being able to smack their faces because some sick twisted person decided that the customer is always right. Meeting Freddie sparked something in me. He made me want to be a better person and live a better life but even with Freddie in my life, the road to a happier lifestyle was pretty bumpy. Being a better person meant not talking back to teachers, paying attention, and actually dong my work. I never realized how stressful homework was. It made me admire Freddie even more who took a lot of AP classes and those classes are tough.

So before moving, I wanted to laze around and do nothing. Unfortunately, Freddie was so stressed that he took out all his anger at me. Truth be told, and I would never admit it to him, but he scared the shit out of me. I told him I"m not good with confrontation but to tell him that he scared me would be weird because at some point, he was afraid of me. I was so used to Freddie being romantic and gentle so when he went off on me, I didn't know how to react. Freddie got mad at me when he caught me trying to steal from Gibby but it was more disappointment than anger. This time, Freddie's eyes were wide open and he looked like he wanted to punch someone. It took all of my strength to not smack him so I walked away and i locked myself up in my room. Another thing I wouldn't admit to Freddie is that I cried after he yelled at me. I was never good with crying in front of people. I was used to doing it alone but once all of that was out of my system, I was angry. All I was doing was laying on the couch, watching TV, writing a song, and just relaxing. He had no right to get angry at me so I got pissed off. I refused to talk to him and when he tried to talk to me, I'd walk away after giving him an icy glare. Part of me wanted him to make an effort and kind of force himself on me. You know, be a man. But Freddie is too much of a gentleman that he just didn't try to force me to talk. He took his time.

Spencer's wedding was like a fairy tale, something you only see in Disney princess movies. The wedding was in a huge church and I felt like my entire school ad their parents were there. I couldn't even count. It was beautiful but I couldn't help being upset and feeling extremely bored. The beautifying process was a lot worse than prom. Everything had to get done at the same time. Vanessa hired women to do my hair, my make up, and my nails at the same time. I managed to run back to Freddie's place for breakfast and then run back to Carly's place to get dressed. When you don't have a TV to show to watch, an iPod to listen to, or bacon to munch on, doing this is completely boring. I didn't have Freddie there to keep me company or to entertain me somehow, not that I depend on him or anything but it was just so damn boring, breakfast included. Mrs. Benson tried so hard to cut the tension but as much I wanted to jump on him and kiss him, I was still pissed off and I wasn't going to give in anytime soon.

During the ceremony, I was very nervous. For some reason, I sort of felt like I was the one getting married to Freddie. Not Vanessa to Spencer. It was an odd feeling because my parents were married for a long time but it didn't seem like such a happy marriage. I was never the type of girl that fantasizes of their dream wedding and marrying their prince charming because I was convinced there was no such thing. Well, no such thing for me at least. If marriage was just going to bring suffering into a relationship like I always believed, then why bother? But Freddie gave me second thoughts. He made me believe that maybe even a girl like me can get the opportunity of loving and being loved.

As the day progressed, I realized that I could ignore Freddie all I want but we had to talk about it sooner or later so he finally decided to talk to me during the party at the huge dining room in Bushwell. He had a hard time explaining himself but my anger towards him quickly went away when he told me that he was a afraid of losing me. Now, I am a lot of thing but I am not stupid. After a life of settling for less than my best, I finally found something that I thought I deserved. Despite my past, Freddie somehow came into my life and I don't think it was a coincidence and I would be damn if I would let such a good thing go.

Then, we did something we have never done before. Maybe it was the fact that we were making up but having sex with Freddie was always vanilla, if I were to give details to others. We never explored and I honestly didn't mind. Despite the lack of variety in our sex life, we were always happy with each other. I never asked for anything more and neither did he. Just having each other and sharing such a wonderful and intimate moment as more than enough for us. If you want to get corny, we always made love. None of that rough stuff you see in overly glamorized teen shows. But this time it was very different. we were so eager to be as one and we want it in such a kinky place, and in a public place to top it all off. But it was perfect.

We ate cake and danced the rest of the night.

The wedding was tiring and I all I wanted to do was nothing. I was in Freddie's room, laying on his bed face up with Freddie laying on his side. His hand was on my stomach as we were kissing softly. I wanted to do this all day because it sure as hell beat the crap out of packing.

"We have to stop," whispered Freddie in between kisses.

"I know," I whined. "But I don't want to."

"Well, we don't have much to pack. It's better to get it over and done with so we can just hang out tomorrow. We can have one last Seattle Groovy Smoothie before leaving and we could say goodbye to a few places before we leave."

I sighed. "How about we just have a movie date tomorrow. I want to say goodbye to these places right before we leave."

"Why?"

"I just do," I shrugged and I got up. "Do you want to help me pack?"

"Yes I do," he said with a smile and we walked over to my room to finish packing my belongings.

* * *

Everything was packed up so me and Freddie had an entire day to do whatever we wanted before leaving the next day. He suggested that we visit the cemetery, his father's old fencing studio, my old house, and the park for old time's sake but I didn't want to. I wanted to visit these places right before leaving. I wanted to keep those places fresh in my memory during the long ride to California.

We decided to spend the entire afternoon watching several movies. Freddie wanted to spend the morning with his mom at the hospital. With her working so much and us spending too much time together, Freddie wanted to spend some quality time with her before leaving. As crazy as she may have been, he said that she was still his mom and he loved her. I wish I could say the same about mine.

After watching so many movies and my butt feeling completely numb from all the sitting, we decided to have some dinner at a nearby sushi place that doesn't close until midnight. It's not a formal restaurant and I was glad because I was very comfortable in my sneakers. We walked in and we were seated right away.

"Good evening. My name is Melissa and I'm going to be your waitress tonight," said the waiter. "Here are your menus. Would you like something to drink?"

"I'd like water please," said Freddie.

"Rootbeer for me."

"Okay. One glass of water and one glass of rootbeer. Take some time to look over our menu and I will be back to take your orders," said the waitress and she walked away. I looked at Freddie.

"I've never been here before," I admitted.

"Neither have I but Carly and Shane said they have been on dates here and the food is great. Have you ever had sushi before?"

"Nope" I shook my head. "I like food but raw? I don't think so."

"Well, not all of it is raw. I recommend the California roll or the shrimp tempura roll. They also have fried chicken. It's different from the kind of fried chicken you like but it's delicious."

(A/N: There is this place in LA called WOW Bento & Roll and they have amazing sushi. My favorite is the shrimp tempura roll hehe ^^)

"Oh. I am so getting that. What about you?"

"Hmm... I'll have the same thing as you."

The waitress came back with our drinks and took out a notepad from her pocket.

"Have you decided on your order?"

"Yes," said Freddie. "We are both going to have the shrimp tempura roll and your fried chicken as appetizers, please."

"Okay, so that's two shrimp tempura rolls and two plates of fried chicken. Your order will be here in about 10 to 15 minutes."

"Thank you so much."

When the waitress left, I looked at Freddie with a semi angry look.

"Ten to fifteen minutes? Are you serious?"

"Be patient, Sam. The wait is so worth it once you try this food."

I shrugged my shoulders and I looked around our table. We had a large piece of cloth as a napkin and some chopsticks next to it. It completely slipped my mind that most people eat their sushi with chopsticks. Sometimes, I don't even like using forks, let alone wooden sticks.

"Uh... is chopsticks the only option?" I asked Freddie.

"Oh, you can ask for a fork or these little things that sort of guide you and help you hold the sticks right?"

"Well, I guess I'll give the sticks a shot just as long as I have the... little things to guide me."

"I don't know what they are called, Sam." He gave me a serious look and I laughed a little.

Fifteen minutes later, the waitress came back with our meals. The fried chicken looked very good but the roll was definitely different. It didn't look very appetizing.

"Here, take this," said Freddie and handed me some small container. "It's soy sauce. Pour some on that small plate. It gives the roll flavor."

"Oh... and what are these thing?" I asked as I pointed to this small blob of green stuff and a small pile of this pearly stuff.

"The green stuff is Wasabi and the other is ginger. You can eat them with the roll but I don't recommend it. They don't taste good in my opinion. Too hot."

"Oh... okay," I said, unsure of what it would taste like.

I picked up a piece and I carefully dipped it in the soy sauce. Then, I slowly brought the piece to my lips and I took a small bite. The taste was sure interesting. It wasn't mouthwatering like fried chicken and Fat Cakes but it was good enough to make me want to have some more. I didn't think it was that great but I felt like it was going to taste better and better the more I try good.

"Pretty good," I nodded and ate the rest of it.

"I'm glad you like it. There are a lot of sushi places in California so we'll go out to eat some more often, okay?"

"Good," I smiled at him and I continued to eat my roll. The chicken was amazing. It didn't taste like the stuff you buy at KFC but it was so good that I ordered two more plates of it.

When we were done, we headed straight home. A day at the movies plus a sushi dinner wasn't tiring at all but I found myself completely exhausted. Maybe it was all the packing or maybe I was just dealing with so many emotions that I couldn't tell if I was excited, happy, sad, or angry. We arrived back to the apartment a little before 1am. The apartment was pitch black and we just wanted to go to sleep so we didn't bother to turn on any lights. Freddie guided me to the hall and in front of my door. His hands were on my hips and he shifted me so that I was facing him.

"I had a wonderful time," he whispered. I could feel his breath on my cheek.

"Me too," I whispered back.

"Get some rest. We have a big day ahead of us."

"Goodnight," I said softly and leaned in for kiss.

His hands remained on my hips and mine were caressing his cheeks. It was slow and soft and I felt like it lasted forever but we couldn't stay like that for much longer. I pulled away and gave him a tight hug before turning around to enter my room.

"Goodnight," I heard him whisper and I smiled to myself.

* * *

The alarm on my cell phone went off but I was already awake. I was very sleepy but I couldn't get any sleep. My eyes stung really bad and I knew instantly that they were red. I stood up and walked over to my bathroom to brush my teeth and get ready. My eyes were indeed red and when I was done, I took some of my foundation out my tote bag. My eyes were puffy so I tried to conceal them. I didn't do a great job but it wasn't as noticeable. I also put some eye drops on my eyes to soothe them.

I walked out of the bathroom and back into my room. It was so empty. A few cardboard boxes were in the middle with my stuff in them. It was all too surreal. I couldn't believe that it was finally the day. I couldn't sleep because it finally hit me that I was actually going to start a new life, and with my nerd boyfriend of all people. My stomach churned and I felt like I was going to be throwing up all night, but I didn't. As much as I found it hard to believe, I couldn't wait to leave.

I heard a knock on my door and I turned around to see Freddie walking.

"Good morning, cuteness," he greeted me with a smile.

"Hey," I said with a half smile.

"Breakfast is ready. After breakfast, we are going to spend some time with my mom, Carly, Spencer, and Shane and then we'll go. Okay?"

"Okay," I said and I walked out of the room with him.

Normally, I'd eat my breakfast fast. I love food and I'll eat it whenever wherever but I found it very difficult to consume my food. It must have been the nervousness in my stomach that didn't allow me to eat. I was so hungry but my stomach would not cooperate. I took one bite and I just wanted to throw it back up but I knew I would get cranky if I didn't eat so I sucked it in and I ate so I wouldn't go on with my day on an empty stomach.

After breakfast, Carly, Shane, and Spencer came over to say their goodbye's. Carly and I walked over to my room and we sat on my bed. She wanted to girl time before I left.

"I can't believe you are leaving today," she said. "I feel like we haven't known each other long enough."

"I know," I nodded. "I've never really had a girl friend before to be honest."

"Promise me that we are going to talk all the time. Whether it's through email, Facebook, webcam, or the phone."

"I promise," I said and she gave me a tight hug. "So what are you doing this summer?"

"Well, we already have our financial aid sorted and I already have my schedule so we have the summer to just do nothing before we start life in college. We're going to move into our apartment closer to campus a few weeks before the semester starts so we can get settled in. You know, Sam, I have you and Freddie to thank for all of this. I was so scared to actually be with a guy that really likes me, a guy that respects me but you two gave me the push I needed. I have never been happier. With Shane, I feel like everything that happened with Griffin was just a nightmare, like it didn't really happen. He makes me think of all the good stuff in my life."

"I'm happy for you," I said. Carly is just one of those girls you could never really hate or feel jealous of. Aside from Freddie, she also changed me. She made me see that not everyone is a stereotype. Not every girlie and prissy girl in a skirt and heels is conceited and full of themselves. Carly is the farthest thing from that. She cares for everyone around her and she always follows her heart, something I never did before meeting Freddie.

"Good luck in California, Sam. Send me souvenirs, okay?"

"Deal"

She gave me another big tight hug and we walked to the living room.

The living room was an emotional wreck. Freddie was hugging his mom and they were both crying oceans. It was sort of bittersweet watching them two. As crazy as he may have described her, Freddie's mom always cared about him deep in her heart. She said she didn't mean to deprive him of good food so he wouldn't get cholesterol and she didn't mean to not let him out so he wouldn't get hurt. He was her only son and I respect her for that.

Everyone hugged each other and resisted the urge to cry in front of the few people who actually cared about me after being left all alone but I hated crying in front of people. It took so long for me to get comfortable enough with Freddie, let alone with other people. Wen everyone's tears were dry, and we were done saying our goodbyes, we took our stuff and placed them in the back of my truck. I watched them all from the mirror as Freddie drove us away from Bushwell until they were no longer in sight.

We made a few stops before leaving. We stopped by The Fencin' Beson's fencing studio. The sign was gone and there was a giant for lease sign on the door. We stood in front of the studio for a while, not saying anything. This place brought back so many memories, mostly bad but memories nonetheless. I remember the times I came to the studio to watch Doug battle someone. For all I know, I could have been sitting next to Freddie in the audience. It's crazy how life works sometimes. Also, this studio was the place where Freddie and I almost had our first kiss. We were standing in front of the closed studio, leaning into each other, our lips almost touching, and Doug had to interrupt us. Doug almost made my relationship with Freddie nonexistent but luckily that wasn't the case.

We stopped by my old house. We didn't step out of the truck to look around because we saw that a family moved in. The curtains were opened so we could see inside a little bit. I assumed the couple living there were married and moved in with their three boys, two of them being twins. They had a few boxes stacked up so I assumed that they just moved in. As I looked at them, I hoped with all my strength that they don't end up like me, especially those twins. I spent a good amount of time living in that house, completely hating my life and if I learned anything from meeting Freddie is that wanting happiness for others is a great feeling.

After driving by a few other places like The Groovy Smoothie and our high schools, our last stop in Seattle was the cemetery. We stopped in front of my mom's grave first. My heart was pounding at the thought of finally saying goodbye to her. I took out a paper from my pocket and unfolded and I cleared my throat.

"For my creative writing final, my teacher told us that we had to write a letter to someone who changed my life," I said softly to Freddie but my eyes were on the paper. "I wrote a letter to my mom."

"Are you going to read it to her?" he asked and I nodded. I hesitated for a moment before I read it out loud.

"Dear mom, you were a lot of things. You were an alcoholic. You were always drinking before noon. Alcohol turned you into someone I cold no longer respect. It turned you into an ugly person. You were a prostitute. After getting fired, you didn't go out to look for a job. You sold your body to pay the bill and keep the lights in our house on. Sure, I'm not perfect either. I did some things for money as well but never have I sold my body for money. I'm proud of bullying people and forcing them to give me money but you crossed a line. You were a hitter. When dad died, you drank more and more. You got drunk that didn't change anything. Drunk or sober, you always blamed me for dad's death to the point where I almost believed it. After hitting me with your emotional punches, you hit for real. I never had the heart to feel bad for anyone I have ever hurt in the past. Those people were not my children. I may not have had the heart to care for them when I bullied them but I never had the heart to hit you back. I took it up. Every hair pull, every scratch, every punch, every kick to the stomach and every push. You chased me down the street with a baseball bat and you pushed me onto broken beer bottles. I still have the scars on my arms though you can't really see them. But despite being all those awful things, there is one thing about you that will never change. Despite all the drinking and all the abuse, you will always be my mother. I will never forget all the shit you put me through, especially all the stuff I went though these past few months. You killed yourself and I felt like that was rock bottom. Like I said, I will never forget but I do forgive you. You're my mother and no matter what sick and twisted person you turned out to be, I will always love you. Wherever you are now, I hope you're in peace."

My voice cracked a little as I was reading my letter. When I was done, I lowered my arms and my head. I felt Freddie's hands on my shoulder and he embraced me so tight that I almost couldn't breath. He whispered to me, telling me that it's okay to cry so I broke down. He held me as I let it all out. I swore that this would be the last time I would ever shed a tear for my mother.

After I composed myself, Freddie handed me a single red rose. We bought three before arriving at the cemetery. I placed it in front of her tombstone and we made our way towards our dad's. At the same time, we both placed a single rose in front of our dad's tom stones. I held Freddie close to me as we looked at our dad's tombstones one last time. Just like all the other places we visited, this place brought back so many memories. I thought back to the day I first saw Freddie. It was my dad's funeral and I was the only one there. I was by a tree when I saw Freddie making a speech and breaking down on Carly's shoulder. I remember when he saw me and I became nervous so I walked away. This where we met for the first time. He saw the cuts on my arms and he disinfected them and put band aids on them. That was the first time a completely stranger ever did something nice for me, including sharing his snacks.

"Puckett," I heard his whisper. I lifted my head up to see him and I laughed a little. When we met, we didn't trust each other enough to know each other's names so we called each other by our last names. It wasn't until he found me trying to steal money from Gibby when I finally opened up to him and it encouraged him to tell me his name. My life completely changed after that.

"Benson," I whispered back.

"You know how I feel about our dad's right?" he asked and I nodded. "Even though they are gone, I think that they didn't want us to suffer. They didn't want me to get pushed over by bullies and they didn't want you to get hurt by your mom so they brought us together. Now I finally understand what my dad said to me the day he died. He told me that good things come when you least expect it but I didn't believe him because he was taken form me so unexpectedly. But just like that, unexpectedly, they brought us together to cope and having you in my life is the best thing that happened to me. I love you, Sam. You make me so happy."

"I love you too," I responded and he leaned in for a kiss.

As we kiss, I felt a rush of warmth. It wasn't the feeling I normally get in the pit of my stomach when Freddie and I kiss. It was a warm breeze the surrounded us, a warm wind that twirled around us. I felt like it was our dad's, bringing us even closer together, wanting nothing but happiness for the both of us and wishing us good luck. We finally left the cemetery and we hopped into my truck, Freddie on the driver's seat. We were finally leaving Seattle and making our way to California, feeling completely ready to start our new lives together. I smiled to myself knowing that things were gong to go up. Sure, Freddie and I were bound to fight, we were bound to stress over bills and grades but one thing will never change. Our dad's brought us together and no matter how bad things may get, our love will never die.

* * *

***Sniffles* **

**This is such a bittersweet feeling. It has been two long, amazing years since I started this story. I can't thank my readers enough for the wonderful support. Whether you discovered this story a few chapters ago or you read it from the moment I first published this story or whether you stuck around form the beginning or completely stopped reading this story, I can't thank you guys enough.**

**Despite being AU, this is my favorite story that I have ever written and I am extremely proud it. I hope you guys stick around with me because I am working on more Seddie stories. One is in the works. It's called Life After You, so please check it out. **

**If you are on Twitter, follow me at Steffy213 and if you are on Tumblr, follow me at MissSteffy**

**Thank you all so much for such a wonderful experience.**

**PS. I will be fixing this story a bit now that it's complete. I know I made a lot of typos that was too lazy to fix. I will be reading every chapter and fixing any typos and errors I may have made with certain characters.**


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